The Redemption: The Forbidden Game 4
by Princess of Wands
Summary: Twenty years after the first Games, Jenny and Tom's daughter Charity and her friends are tricked into entering the Shadow World by the newest Shadow Man for a new Game of revenge. Also featuring the return of everyone's favorite boy - you know who it is!
1. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Mrs. Jenny Locke often wondered how it began. When she lay shivering in bed, feeling the deep shadows of night roll over her, her mind replayed scenes of recent and long ago years, tumbling in an endless cycle. Perhaps the new horror had started with the dream. Perhaps not. All she knew was that the dream marked the time when she realized that even after twenty-two years, the Shadow Men weren't going to leave her or her family alone.

The dream started with her walking through a cool gray mist, a sign that she was having one of _those_ dreams. The dreams she had promised a dying Julian she would have and allow him to share with her.

But it had been at least fifteen years since she'd had one, and therefore she was surprised to find herself having another at the age of thirty-nine. Usually in the dreams she walked through the mist until a bright flash of light came and brought her to a beautiful place, sometimes a meadow with a rainbow of wildflowers or a peaceful deserted island in the middle of a clear aquamarine sea. Once, they had even stood on top of Mount Rushmore.

Always, Jenny walked around whatever place Julian had chosen in silent wonder, marveling yet again at the splendor of the world even in illusion, and then suddenly he would be standing before her, more beautiful in dreams than she remembered him being in life. He'd reach for her hand and they'd find a quiet place to sit and talk.

Actually, Jenny was the one who talked, and she'd talk for what seemed like hours about her life, politics, the weather, and every other bit of miscellaneous information that she wanted to share. Julian would sit and gaze into her eyes as he listened. He never spoke. Simply seeing her and hearing her voice was enough.

Whenever she ran out of things to babble about, Julian would smile one of his beautiful smiles, only now with more gentleness than cunning, and lean over to kiss her left cheek. Always her left, never the right, as if he was afraid of the side that belonged to Tom. The side that ached when he was away for long periods of time, even now after they'd been married for so long.

After the tiny kiss, the beautiful scenery would fade and Jenny woke thinking about him. She never went to bed hoping to see him, but after having such a dream, she was always glad that she had.

The dreams had come less frequently over the years before stopping altogether in her mid-twenties. Maybe Julian had gotten tired of hearing how successful Tom was as CEO of Locke Sports, the small sporting goods store he'd started that now was a chain with stores in California, Nevada and Arizona, or how long it was taking to potty train their daughter, Charity. Anyway, Julian had stopped visiting her and he'd been pushed to the back of her mind because of the pressures of life.

Now, thirty-nine year old Jenny was glad she was dreaming again. She had so much to tell Julian, such as how she'd recently caught Tom with the swimsuit edition of _Sports Illustrated_, the issue she threw away every year. This time he'd gone diving through the trash for it, and after a fight, she'd searched his drawers, expecting to find forbidden back issues of Playboy. He was clean as far as that went, but she did find a red ladies wig which concerned her, but she knew well enough to put it back and ignore it. Whatever Tom did with the wig was none of her business, and honestly, she _really_ didn't want to know.

Jenny also wanted to tell Julian about their daughter Charity, now a fully potty-trained and a moody sixteen year old who insisted on rebelling against everything life threw at her. Jenny frowned upon this, constantly reminding her that _she_ was never so insolent as a teenager. She'd decided long ago that Charity's bad qualities came from Tom's side of the family. Charity looked very much like her mother, except for her rich chocolate hair that came from her father. Other than that, Jenny at sixteen and Charity now could be twins.

Jenny was ready to tell Julian this and more. She looked around expectantly... where was he? She had never wandered through the mist this long. Although time was relative in dreams, she had a great sense of minutes passing and still being alone.

Then an amazing thing happened. Jenny's mind separated from her body and she watched herself move forward through the mists, a spectator to the action. Jenny gaped at her figure in surprise. This had never happened before. She couldn't help wondering what Julian had planned, but she wasn't worried. Only curious.

She should have worried. She should have felt the wrongness of the situation.

But no, she watched herself with a happy sort of expectation, no suspicion in her mind. She was anxious to see Julian, something that had rarely happened before. It had been such a long time, and crazy enough, she had missed him. She _missed_ him – she missed the way he would take her hand and listen with more attention than anyone ever had, the way he'd look at her with his striking blue eyes that made her feel no other woman had existed since the beginning of time. Even dead he made her feel special, chosen.

Suddenly, he was there, floating in the gray mist several feet from her body. As usual, he was a shock to her senses. There was nothing human about his looks, about that hair white as winter frost, falling seductively into his eyes. About that pale skin and long, dark eyelashes, and especially those eyes of an indescribable blue that caught her breath more than the rest of him.

Julian opened his mouth. He was speaking to her... well, not to _her_ exactly, but to her body. She saw herself answer and whatever she said made Julian's brilliant eyes shine with a light she hadn't seen since the old days. Jenny wanted to call to him and ask what they were saying, but found she couldn't. The dream was like watching an old silent movie, except that it was in color and there were no subtitles or eerie orchestral music accompanying the scene.

When Julian leaned forward and kissed her cheek, Jenny felt no alarm. He'd always done that in her dreams. It wasn't until she realized that he'd kissed her right cheek, the side that belonged to Tom, that she became concerned. He'd done it deliberately, for he smiled when he pulled back. It was the smile that gave Jenny chills more than the actual kiss, for it was his old mocking smile, not the one of gentle compassion she had become accustomed to.

Something happened then that Jenny couldn't believe. Julian never touched her, never said a word, but Jenny's arms encircled his neck and pulled him close. With her own free will. Jenny was uneasy as she watched, but swallowed her fears quickly. What was wrong with a hug?

Nothing. Nothing at all, and she would have been perfectly fine if the hug had stayed a hug, but the two figures before her started kissing. Jenny did a double take. A triple take, but it didn't matter how many times she looked or cried out, because they were kissing passionately like lovers separated for years and there was nothing she could do about it.

_This isn't right_, Jenny thought frantically. _I love Tom_. But as she watched, the memory of Julian's kisses came back to her – kisses that made her whole body feel alive in a way Tom had never been able to match. Even so, she knew she would never submit again, so this had to be an image Julian was showing her. What Julian _wanted_ to happen.

_Forget it_, Jenny thought nastily and tried to wake up, but nothing happened, as if Julian had a more powerful hold over her dreams than she'd thought. There was nothing to do but watch Julian and the woman who looked like her kiss. She snorted. It was ridiculous watching herself, a woman pushing forty, kissing a boy who looked no older than twenty.

At first, Jenny was so caught up in her disgust that she didn't notice something amazing was happening, and when she realized she had difficulty breathing. She watched her body grow younger and younger until she was sixteen again, the age she'd been when she had first tasted Julian's intoxicating kisses.

If only the reverse aging had been the end of it. But now her hair color was changing, darkening, until Jenny realized that it wasn't her kissing Julian after all. It was Charity. Charity was kissing Julian.

_Get your hands off my daughter_! Jenny tried to yell. She wished she could run and pull the two apart, but a mind has no legs to move with so she was frozen. The two kept kissing, bound together by a mysterious force. As far as Jenny knew, her daughter had never kissed anyone (that's what all mothers hoped), but it looked like the girl knew exactly what she was doing. She giggled as she pulled away, and looked into his eyes with delighted mischief before diving back for more.

The scene changed suddenly as a dark storm cloud shadowed the passionate embrace. It wasn't kissing anymore; Charity was struggling in Julian's grasp as he sucked life from her with his mouth, and all the while, Julian grew stronger, more powerful, making Charity little more than a tiny brown field mouse in the jaws of a tiger.

_No_! Jenny wanted to scream, feeling terror wash over her. _Leave her alone! Take me instead... Julian_! But Julian paid no attention, and she wildly wondered if he knew she was witnessing this.

All life left Charity's body and she slumped against him, still and pale. Julian did not appear concerned with the fact that she lay in his arms, either unconscious or dead. He gazed down at her fondly, and traced her jaw line with his fingertips. Triumph flickered across his face. He was pleased.

Jenny screamed then, a real verbal scream which was the only sound she'd heard during the dream. Julian whipped his head her way and when she saw him full on, Jenny felt shock squeeze her chest like a vice.

For Julian's eyes, once an intense electric blue, were now golden like the eyes of a hawk, or a cat. They were the eyes of a predator. And they were fixed on her.

He smiled.

Jenny screamed again, and didn't stop until she jerked awake in her own safe bed, shivering. Quickly, she sat up and pulled the quilt around her shoulders, shaking and crying quietly so as not to wake her husband. It was a terrible effort to calm down, and she had to remind herself that it was only a dream. A nightmare from the depths of her imagination.

For Julian was dead and trapped in a mysterious world of dreams. He couldn't hurt her any more than he could hurt her daughter. And she half-believed that even if he could, he wouldn't since he'd been so kind to her. Jenny forced herself to stop shaking. There was no way Julian could harm her or her daughter ever again.

Or so she hoped.


	2. Chapter Two

I didn't do my story notes in the first chapter (oops), so here they are:

_The Redemption_ is a story I've been writing for a while, and I wasn't going to put it up until it was finished, but I've gotten bored writing and am just going to edit each chapter and publish them one at a time. Maybe that (and the kind reviews from you people, hopefully!) will get me motivated to finish. Just a few chapters left to write, and although I don't _exactly_ know how it's going to end yet, it'll be interesting, I promise!

Basically, the Shadow Men are still pissed off about Jenny escaping them, so they have created a new Shadow Man, Kadar, who lures Charity Locke and her unsuspecting friends into a new Game. They can't touch Jenny and the old players, so they trap their children to torture instead. Fun, huh? And what would an FG fic be without Julian? He's back, but with a twist – and we find out the true origins of the Shadow Men...

The beginning may be a bit slow, but that's just me and my unfortunate habit of establishing background information of the characters. Bear with me, please! It will pick up.

Usual disclaimers apply: L.J Smith and probably other people whose names I don't know own the FG series. I do, however, own Kadar, Charity and her friends, so hands off. And in case you were wondering, I know several very effective curses. You have been forewarned. :)

Please R/R! This is my first LJS fic, and I'd love to know what you think! Enjoy

**Chapter Two **

"Jenny?"

Jenny's head snapped up from her knees and she froze. Her efforts not to wake Tom hadn't succeeded, and he was now sleepily sitting up and fumbling for the lamp on the nightstand. She should have known he'd wake. Tom had always been a light sleeper.

At least he didn't snore. Audrey was always complaining about how awful it was when Michael snored, how the sound was giving her wrinkles. Jenny didn't see any wrinkles on Audrey and never failed to tell her so, but her copper-haired friend refused to believe her, moaning that she was growing old before her time. Jenny thought Audrey looked as chic as ever, but kept it to herself since she knew saying so wouldn't change Audrey's opinion. Why waste her breath?

Jenny heard the scrape of ceramic against the cedar of the nightstand and then a crash and shattering as the lamp hit the wooden floor. Tom swore; it had been his favorite lamp after all. But Jenny had never liked it and wasn't sorry that it broke.

From the minute he'd brought it home, she had hated that stupid lamp. It was a cheerleader standing on her head, her long legs holding up the lamp shade. Inside the shade was a football that glowed like the north star. Tom claimed the football was his favorite part, but Jenny knew he enjoyed the way the cheerleader's skirt fell down by the wills of gravity and revealed a white thong more.

With a sigh, Jenny wiped her tears on the back of her hand and got up to turn on the light. The room flooded with brightness and she had to blink and rub her eyes for several seconds before she trusted herself not to do something dumb like walk into the wall and break her nose.

Jenny went to her husband and eased into a plush blue chair near the wall. Tom swore as he picked up the broken pieces of his precious lamp, but not nearly as loudly as before. He didn't look at her.

"I'm sorry, Tommy," she said in a small voice and he fell silent. His shoulders lifted and fell in a shrug.

"It wasn't your fault," he said gruffly, clearly mad at himself and no doubt still cursing in his thoughts. Jenny bit her lip as he swept the pieces of the lamp into a pile in an exasperated way.

"I'm never going to be able to fix this," he grumbled.

_Good_, Jenny thought, but said nothing. There was no need to aggravate her husband even more. Finally Tom looked at her and his face softened when he noticed the tears on her cheeks.

"Hey, Thorny, what's wrong?" Jenny felt herself relax in the comfort of the familiar nickname, and the fact that he cared about her enough to notice her tears and forget the damn lamp.

"I..." Jenny didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell him. Tom had made it clear from the beginning that he never wanted to hear about her dreams of Julian and she had always honored his wishes. He was already upset that she had insisted on wearing Julian's ring for years until Charity turned thirteen and received the ring as a gift. Tom was furious that either of his girls would touch something from Julian, but kept his mouth shut for his daughter's sake. Charity didn't know about the Games.

Maybe he kept quiet about the ring because he knew Jenny had given up her dreams to serve his. Instead of starting a summer camp for disabled kids like she'd thought about, Jenny gave Tom all the money she'd saved while working through college and helped him run his first store. After that, when the store was successful, they had so much money that only Tom needed to work. She could have opened her camp then, but Tom insisted she stay home to raise Charity.

But Jenny didn't have any regrets about being able to spend more time with her daughter. She had been a good mother and knew it. Charity had been easy to please as a child, but as she grew older her individuality came pouring out and Jenny often wondered if anything she did anymore made her happy. There was something inside Charity that made her want to be different, and she never seemed 100 content with anything.

"Jenny?" Tom's voice was more insistent this time. Jenny glanced at him warily before sighing and looking down at her hands.

"It's nothing," she whispered. "I just know how much you loved that lamp."

"Oh." Suddenly Tom looked like he might cry himself.

"I'll make you some hot chocolate. Or would you rather have tea?" Jenny jumped up, feeling a desperate need to do _something_ rather than sit and think.

"Coffee, actually. I don't think I could fall back asleep now." He glanced at the digital clock on his desk which read 2:08 A.M. and winced. "On second thought, just a glass of water. Thanks." He tacked on the 'thanks' absently, but Jenny didn't mind. She knew he was grateful for whatever she did, even if he didn't say so.

Jenny slowly left the room and padded down the hallway, shivering as her bare feet touched the cold wooden floor. Why hadn't she taken her slippers? She paused by her daughter's door and thought that Charity would never forget her slippers. Charity had a pair of slippers with fuzzy green Grinch heads instead of the conventional bunnies and always wore them around the house, sometimes even outside instead of regular shoes.

She even wore them to school, although slippers were against the dress code, but Charity didn't care. She always broke the dress code, in ways other than the slippers. It was another way she had of rebelling. The school board would have expelled her long ago if it weren't for Tom's influence in the community. Besides, the school board knew Charity and were used to her sometimes wild ways. As long as she didn't harm herself or anyone else, she was free to do as she wished.

Jenny shivered as images of the dream revisited her mind. Images of Julian's soft lips touching Charity's... of Charity lying still in Julian's arms as he looked down at her with an odd smile... of Julian's new golden eyes boring holes into her brain...

Jenny's hand flew to the doorknob. She had to see her daughter, to prove to her wild imagination that Charity wasn't in any danger. Breath caught, Jenny pushed the door open just enough for a patch of light to shine across Charity's face.

The girl was asleep, a scowl on her perfectly shaped lips - exactly like Jenny's - as if she was annoyed with someone or something in the dream she was having. This was perfectly normal, for Charity was always annoyed about something, even if it was trivial as burnt toast.

Jenny breathed a sigh of relief as Charity mumbled something and turned over in her sleep. She laughed at her unnecessary fears. Of course Charity was fine, and it brought a smile to her lips as she thought how unlikely it was for someone like Julian to overcome her daughter anyway. Charity wasn't very muscular, but she was like a little ball of fire, much more like Dee than she herself had been, and it seemed likely that if the two ever did meet, Julian would be the one running away screaming, not the other way around.

Not that Julian was around to make a play for her daughter. Julian was dead and unable to enter the real world. She reassured herself for the final time that the dream couldn't be Julian's doing and was most likely symbolic rather than literal. Of what, she didn't know, but she'd think about it tomorrow when she had relaxed a bit.

With a shake of her head, Jenny walked down the steps to the kitchen to fetch the glass of water she'd promised Tom and vowed to never worry about Julian or the dream again. She had no reason to.

But that was because she hadn't noticed the pair of glowing golden eyes watching Charity from the closet.

He smiled as the blond lady shut the door. That was Mrs. Locke, not only because she looked so much like the sleeping girl under the blue quilt, but because only a mother would creep around at night checking on her sleeping children.

A chuckle escaped his throat. Mrs. Locke: Julian's Jenny. Poor lost Julian. At that, his smile grew wider. Julian had been a fool, something he was incapable of being. He knew the truth, that one should never fall in love with the victim playing the Game. Julian should have known better than to let himself be weakened by that intolerable feeling called 'love.' Had he been around at the time, he would have told him just that.

Love was only for the weak, and the Shadow Men couldn't afford to be weak. Weakness didn't coincide with their natures. It wasn't possible.

Jenny's daughter was mumbling in her sleep and he strained to hear what she said, but failed. Didn't matter, it probably was a bunch of incoherent gibberish. Whenever human's spoke, whether in dreams or reality, it was always gibberish to him. With their tiny brains, they weren't capable of anything truly intelligent.

He shut his eyes... what use was spying on the girl in her sleep? That had been Julian's downfall, watching so much that he couldn't think of anything else, making himself believe he was in love when it was really obsession. He wouldn't make the same mistake. The girl was going to play his Game, whether he watched her or not.

Enough, then. He used his magic to transport himself back to the Shadow World and stepped into the dark room where the Shadow Men gathered when they had nothing else to occupy themselves with.

"Ah..." He heard the appreciative grunts and squeaks as his Elders acknowledged his presence. A smug smile fell upon his lips. His Elders adored him, and he had vowed never to fail them. In their eyes, he could do no wrong. He was their youngest, their warrior... the epitome of everything they'd wanted Julian to be, until he'd failed.

He lived for one purpose. When his Elders carved his name onto the runestave they'd had one intent and one alone. Revenge. They'd created him to be the ultimate killer, the angel of death. He alone was given the ability upon creation to venture into reality and do the dirty work the Shadow Men could no longer do.

He'd been put to the test before and had succeeded every time. He found that he enjoyed playing Games with the humans, pursuing his prey in the hunt until every player died or snapped with madness. The few survivors were given to his Elders as trophies. Playthings.

Now the Shadow Men were ready to use their warrior to get revenge on the little blond bitch Julian had fallen for so many years ago. She had escaped them and taken with her six other victims, and since then, the Shadow Men could think of little else but taking back what they had lost. What they felt was rightfully theirs.

They wanted him to trick Jenny and her friends into coming to the Shadow World, and then let them do their worst, but being younger, he was able to think of more creative ways to get revenge. Killing her would be too easy. From weeks of watching the peaceful Locke household, he was convinced he knew of something that would give Jenny more pain than death.

He smiled and stepped into the center of the room. The Shadow Men were silent now, watching him with their hideous faces alight... the few that had faces.

"I have a plan," he announced and laughed as the Shadow Men leaned toward him eagerly, their grotesque figures tense with expectation. His mind drifted to the little brunette lying asleep in the room with posters of rock groups and the scent of last night's incense still lingering. The girl who appeared so innocent.

The girl who was about to embark on the worst nightmare imaginable.


	3. Chapter Three

Hi, thanks for the comments! This chapter is kinda slow... again... but things pick up in the next. I'm pretty much introducing the major players here and a little bit in CH4, but after that the Games begin.

Thanks for reading, and keep reviewing!

**Chapter Three**

Charity Locke woke the next morning in a surprisingly good mood, considering that it was Monday and she had a Chemistry test first period. As a general rule, Mondays always turned out wrong, beginning with the part where she had to open her eyes and let the realization that the weekend was over hit her like an avalanche.

But for some reason, as she opened her eyes that particular Monday morning, she felt surprisingly good. Yawning like a lion, she sat up and brushed her hair from her face in a quick, impatient fashion. It was always getting in the way and for a minute she thought about shaving her head, but quickly decided against it. She loved her hair, but even so, the thought curved her lips into a smile.

Her parents would _love_ that.

Charity stood and slowly let the sweetness of sleep fade. She was not a morning person, and preferred the wonders of the night to the day. Her mother would disagree, of course, but she and Jenny disagreed on most everything. Mrs. Locke loved the morning and often rose early to watch the sun rise, rejoicing in the new day. Charity herself couldn't imagine just sitting and staring. She was the kind of person who liked to be occupied, who didn't like to stay in one place for too long. Who couldn't stand idleness.

But her mother was different. She fit into the dawn; like Aurora, she spread her light across the morning sky. Everything about her was golden, as her father often said with love in his eyes. It made Charity ill. She had been told she looked like her mother by many, namely Mr. and Mrs. Cohen who lived next door and had known the sixteen year old Jenny. Their delicate features and forest green eyes were the very same.

But Charity knew the difference, and sometimes she envied for her mother for it. Her mother glowed, a simple radiance that the years hadn't faded. Charity, on the other hand, didn't. No one had to tell her. While her mother's skin was golden, Charity's was pale or rosy. She often flushed with anger or annoyance. She scowled more than smiled.

But on this particular morning, Charity was smiling. As she glanced in the mirror, she was subtlety surprised by what she saw. Her eyes were sparkling with a liveliness that made her face glow in its own way. She felt alive. She felt radiant.

And then she remembered why.

A little smile playing about her lips, Charity got dressed - nothing extravagant today, only a Ren and Stimpy tee and jeans - and bounded happily down the stairs.

"Well, you're looking awake this morning," Mr. Locke said with a grunt over the morning paper that implied he, for one, was not. Charity landed a quick kiss on the top of his head before taking a seat beside him, examining the table. Strawberries, scrambled eggs, a pile of stale waffles... what, nothing to drink?

"How did you sleep?" her mother asked tensely as she walked over to the table to add fresh waffles to the pile. Charity looked up and was startled to see dark rings under her mother's sleepy green eyes. Obviously, she hadn't had a nice night either.

Not Charity's problem. "Great," she said with relish and reached for a fresh strawberry. Seeing her mother wince and feeling a faint flicker of wickedness, she added, "I had the most wonderful dreams. In one of them I was kissing a beautiful boy under a palm tree. He was great, even if a little over-friendly with his hands."

She bent her head and took a bite of the strawberry to cover her smile as her father's head snapped up and he glowered at her. So what if that hadn't been true - they hadn't been anywhere near a beach, but rather in a dark... somewhere. All she had seen were shadows. And him...

And his hands weren't really so bold; they had stayed where they should around her waist, but she liked getting a rise out of her parents when she could. They shouldn't be so surprised, anyway. It was only a dream.

But then she looked up and saw the look in her mother's eyes. She looked... odd. Little roses glowed in her cheeks, and she looked at her daughter as if seeing a ghost. "Was he..." Mrs. Locke started, then trailed off. "Did he... was his hair white?"

_White_? Charity thought in confusion. _Ew. _She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, there was a crash. Her father had knocked his coffee cup to the floor. Charity expected her mother to squeal and run from the room for a mop, but she stayed stiff and silent, meeting her husband's eyes with a look Charity had never seen. A secret, almost frightened look.

Mr. Locke himself was tense and so pale Charity could almost see the blood pounding through his veins. He looked confused and startled, as if he couldn't figure out why his wife had mentioned white hair either. But the difference was that he looked more disturbed than curious.

Slowly, he broke his gaze from his wife and looked at his daughter. _Not at me_, Charity thought, her heart pounding unexpectedly. _At my hand. My ring_. He was staring at the little golden circlet she always wore, the gift from her mother. His eyes were fixed on it in fear.

Fear? Charity scowled. Ridiculous. Why should he be afraid? She had always loved the ring. _I am my only master_. The words suited her perfectly.

_Say something_, her mind urged. _They're going to pass out if you don't_.

"It was black as a matter of fact," she said thoughtfully, reflecting on the dream. "It was dark there, but... yes, I'm sure. Do we have any cranberry juice?" She leapt up and headed to the fridge.

Mrs. Locke let out her breath, and Charity turned enough to see her father send her a patronizing look. Rolling her eyes slightly, she closed the fridge. No juice.

"I'm going," she said, swinging her backpack around her shoulders. "I was supposed to meet David like ten minutes ago. He's helping me with Algebra."

"Charity..." her mother called, but she didn't stop.

"I'll be back late. Don't wait dinner."

"Charity!" This time her mother's voice was pleading, and she turned around with a sigh.

"What?"

Her mother's face was unreadable, but she could sense distress. She polished a plate with a rag without looking at it, and her eyes focused intently on Charity. "What color were his eyes?" she asked quietly, and ignored the look her husband gave her of mild irritation.

Charity didn't know why it was so important, but shrugged and shouted the answer as she turned down the hallway. "This I know. They were gold. A really pretty shade for eyes, don't you think? See ya!"

She was out the door before she heard the plate crash to the ground. 

O O O

Charity tried to think of a good excuse for being late as she walked towards school, but she was fresh out. Her creativity had been a bit... _flat_ lately, and it was like squeezing the last bits of frosting from the tube for her mind to be active. Of course she knew the problem: life dragged her down. She needed variety to survive, and she was not getting it.

David Cohen was waiting for her on the front steps, his dark head bent over some random textbook. There was a pretty freshman girl sitting nearby, staring wide-eyed at him, but David, as simple as he was, didn't notice. Charity grinned at the sight of him, her boy and best friend. For as long as she could remember, David had been like a brother to her.

She walked up beside him and slapped him on the back so hard that he fell forward onto his notes with a surprised cry. "Hey," she said, plopping down beside him. "We need an adventure."

"Good morning to you, too," David said, wincing, and straightened to look at her. "You're late."

"If this were Hawaii, I'd be early."

"You're the most infuriating girl I know," he said, but he didn't look angry. He smiled. "What's this about a wild crazy adventure?"

"I don't remember using those adjectives, but that's not a bad idea," Charity said thoughtfully and David rolled his eyes. She glanced at the freshman girl, who was now joined by another perfect Abercrombie clone of her friend. They were both glaring at her, their looks forbidding enough to scare a girl of lesser character, but Charity was amused. She casually slung an arm around David's shoulder and kissed his cheek in possession, sending the two girls scrambling away with shocked, hurt expressions.

"Poor Davy," Charity said with satisfaction. "I frightened your admirers away."

He scowled and shrugged out of her embrace." You frighten everyone, doll, except me. I saw you in diapers. Kinda hard to be intimidating with that image in my head."

"Well, I saw you wet the bed," Charity retorted. "My bed, when we used to sleep together."

"Let's not speak so loudly," David said, pink-cheeked, and ducked his head from the curious looks of nearby students who'd caught the words. "People will get the wrong idea. There's a difference between a second grade slumber party and an underage orgy."

Charity grinned wickedly. "Aw, what's wrong, Davy? Uncomfortable with your past? I know how hard it is for you to face facts."

"About what, exactly?"

"Nothing." Charity was already bored with the topic. "Anyway, the adventure. I was serious. We should have one."

"An adventure, yes," David mused and stood as the first bell rang and students went scattering to make it to class. "What is it this time? Do we save the world? Search for lost treasure?" They entered the school building together.

"You're not very good at sarcasm," Charity said, ducking under his half-hearted punch. "Whatever it is, it has to be interesting."

"Hmm," he said, eyes distant. "Fine. Name the place and I'll be there." Charity followed his gaze and smiled to see a little blonde struggling down the hall to carry her load of books and papers. Miss Halena Afton was vice president of the junior class, advocate for Students Against Environmental Exploitation, writer for the school paper, and quite obviously the object of David's fantasies.

Fine-boned and light as a pixie, Halena seemed to float wherever she walked, her waist-length California blonde hair swaying behind her like a sail in the breeze. She had a smile ready for everyone she passed, and her little blue eyes peered around with quiet intelligence. She was a goddess, an angel. Charity usually couldn't stand people like that, but there was something so damned nice about Halena that made her impossible to dislike.

She was having rotten luck with the stack of folders she was carrying. With a little gasp, she darted around the hallway, trying to catch papers as they fell from her arms and scattered. David hurried to her and bent to help.

"Oh, thank you," Halena gasped, peering at him curiously.

"No problem," David said, blushing a little, and kept his head ducked as he gathered the papers in a little pile. Charity, feeling mischievous, started towards them.

"What's up?" she said brightly, and David glanced at her sharply, his face darkening. His eyes told her to shut-up-and-don't-do-anything-to-embarrass-me, but Charity ignored him.

Halena, however, smiled. "Charity," she said warmly. "How are you?"

"David, that's so nice. Isn't he a nice boy, Halena?"

David by this time was blushing the red of a tomato and trying his best to ignore them both, but Halena smiled and nodded. "He is very kind."

Charity dropped to her knees and started gathering the papers, since David was frozen in horror. She picked one up and looked at it, her lips twitching. "A petition for meatless lasagna in the cafeteria?"

Halena shrugged, her eyes brightening with shared amusement. "Every girl needs a goal."

Charity glanced at David, the boy usually so self-assured and talkative and knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with his lady. No, it would take drastic measures to get them together. Maybe even her.

"So, what are you doing tonight, Hal?" Charity asked, sounding casual, and felt David's suspicious eyes on her back.

Halena bent a little so Charity could place the folders back on her pile. She straightened and said, "No plans, I guess."

"Oh," Charity said happily. "Then you can be David's date."

David had been in a half-stand, ready to give Halena the rest of the papers, but at this he fell back on the floor and looked at his best friend with shocked eyes. Halena, however, looked amused rather than surprised.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He's got a thing for you but is too shy to ask. Someone had to do it."

Halena's smile fell a little and she sighed. "Well, I don't know. If he..."

"I'm going, too," Charity said quickly. "And some of our friends. It's a sort of... group date. We're going on an adventure."

"An adventure?" Halena looked twice as amused, while David remained silent with a horrified look that suggested he'd eaten bad salami.

"Yeah," Charity continued. "Something new and exciting. Thrills, chills and all the works. I promise you won't regret it."

"Well then I can hardly refuse," she said with a sparkling little laugh and glanced at David. "We'll talk about it later in Chem, though. I have to get these to the office." And with that, she trotted off, not struggling quite as much as before.

Charity was very satisfied with herself as she watched the girl go. She looked at David with a smug expression and said, "You could have asked her yourself, you know. She's obviously into you."

David was very calm. "I'm going to kill you," he said, deadpan.

"Later," Charity said flippantly. "You don't want to be arrested before your big date."

"How could you tell such a lie?" David burst suddenly. "We don't have anything planned. None of our friends know about this!"

"So I'll tell Kaori," Charity said with a shrug that showed it didn't matter. "She's always got a guy or two hanging around. And you know who I'm going to ask."

"Kevin," David sighed. "Your music-loving sweetheart." He paused and looked at her. "Okay, I'll agree, but on one condition."

"Anything," Charity said.

"Julie."

Charity froze. "No."

But David would not be dissuaded. "Come on, Char, you owe me for being such a interfering bitch. You get into my business, and I get to bring my sister."

"But she's..." Charity struggled for the word. "She'll make it _not_ fun."

"You could have thought of that before you arranged this farce," David said, turning away. "I'll tell her after next period. You worry about yourself." And he left without a word of good bye.

Charity stood staring after him with comical surprise on her face. David, her quiet, calm and composed golden boy was extremely pissed. She was so proud of him.

She sighed and turned. As he had said, she needed to worry about herself. And she was going to do everything possible to make sure the night turned out like a dream.

_Kevin_, she thought, lips twitching into a smile. _Here I come_!


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

By the time school ended, however, Charity was feeling less optimistic. She felt like hitting something, or at least making someone suffer a tiny misfortune for her frustrations. That bitch Julie - she had _known_ Kevin made her all fluttery inside, and yet she'd invited him on their adventure right in front of her. Charity had seen the satisfied glimmer in the girl's eyes and felt her pleasure like a cold towel slapped in her face. Julie enjoyed watching her squirm.

It had happened like this:

Charity had left Algebra, practically floating on air because she always saw Kevin Blackson in the hallway before lunch. They never ate together, although it was not for lack of friendliness between the two. Kevin preferred to spend the lunch hour in the music room alone with his guitar and a few of his guy friends. No one else was allowed in, and it was common knowledge that whatever Kevin said went, so no one dared.

Which was why Charity had to hurry if she planned on catching him before he entered the secret world of music and masculine bonding. Strange how she was confident around everyone but Kevin. With him she was painfully self-aware, pausing to find the right things to say instead of blurting whatever stupid thoughts resided in her brain. There was something about Kevin that did that to her. Not only to her – many students were on edge around him. There was something about him so calm, so content that others were afraid of speaking to him, as if some mystic quality he possessed would vividly express their own flaws, like he was some kind of bodhisattva. Of course, Charity knew this ethereal floatiness was from his smoking a quarter pound of weed before school rather than inner mysticism, but everyone had their flaws.

She hurried down the hall excitedly, knocking over a few, small freshman on the way. Finally she saw Kevin at the end of the hall. She lifted her arm to wave and call to him, but then stopped. There was someone with him.

Julie, David's twin sister. She was hesitant in her manner, her pointed little face tilted towards his. Kevin himself looked unimpressed, but that was Kevin incarnate. In spite of his expression, he was nodding. Charity did not see this as a good sign.

She hurried her steps and reached them within seconds, but found it was no use. "Charity!" Julie squealed, in her I'm-a-babydoll-so-why-don't-you-reach-out-and-crush-me-with-hugs voice. Completely fake, of course. Compared with Halena, Julie was clown of southern California.

Kevin looked up and smiled, which was good, but Charity was still wary. Julie's eyes were sparkling too much. She was very pleased with herself.

"I was just telling Kevin about tonight," Julie continued, her happy little voice turning vicious. "He said he'd go with me, isn't it wonderful?"

At first Charity didn't understand. Kevin would have to be stoned out of his mind to say yes to a girl like Julie, and he looked fairly lucid, so Julie must be mistaken. But Kevin was shrugging his shoulders as he glanced at Charity.

"Not like I had anything better to do."

And that was that. All her dreams flushed down the toilet like they'd never existed. There was nothing Charity could say as Kevin waved a farewell and went the other way: as Julie smirked at her, looking like a stuffed chicken, before spinning on her three inch heels, tripping, and going her own way. Nothing. She had been defeated.

And now she was walking down the street ready to kill someone, especially if that someone was Julie Cohen. They had never liked each other, but for her to do something that cut so deeply into Charity's pride was unexpected. It was cruel.

And David would still insist that Julie was a good friend - he always would. After all, she was his twin sister, and Charity didn't expect any less from him, but it made her so _angry_. She was through with the girl.

And on top of losing a not so important friend, Charity was the only one of her group without a date. David would gladly help her in any other circumstance, but he was on cloud nine with thoughts of little Halena from his AP Chemistry class. She couldn't blame him; he'd been in serious like with her since freshman year, but hadn't the courage to do anything until Charity stepped in. This was all great for him, but he was useless to her now.

Kaori had laughed when she heard, finding Charity's anger amusing. "It is ironic," she insisted, when Charity turned to her with eyes of death. "Any guy here would gladly jump for you - why do you have to make it so difficult?"

Well, Charity wasn't interested. She wanted someone exciting, new. And with the exception of Kevin, the male population of her high school was positively bleak. To top it off, Kaori and David had appointed her leader of their adventure. It was up to her to decide what they'd do and where they'd go. And she was dateless.

Kaori never had that problem. She went through boyfriends like a box of pop tarts. Her current conquest was Ryan Stevens, who, as far as Charity could tell, was playing with her as much as she was playing with him. Kaori never let herself fall deeper for anyone than she had to. She was perfectly content being what she was, and as the beautiful, eccentric star of the drama department, she was allowed.

Charity was so lost in her thoughts and kicking dirty stones out of her path, that she barely noticed where she was headed, and before she knew it, she was downtown in the picture-pretty American small town where she lived. She hated it. Nothing interesting ever happened.

Charity was about to turn and go home when something caught her eye in the alley between Mom's Flower Boutique and Joe's Pizza. There was a flash of color and a sign protruding from the wall of the flower shop that read 'Myztik Magik.'

_Magic, huh_? she thought, lips pouting. Right. A store filled with silly tricks for children.

Yet somehow, Charity felt herself moving towards it, curiosity from the sheer boredom she usually had downtown. Halfway there she realized that it must be a joke: the sign was attached to the side of the building – if there was a door, it would lead right inside to the flower shop.

But there _was_ a door. Of a dark shiny wood, the doorknob glinting in the fading sunlight. Must be some local nut's idea of art. Seemed like something Uncle Zach would do. Maybe he had.

Charity shrugged to herself, and lifted a hand to tug at the handle, not expecting anything to happen. When it opened easily with a slight breath of air, she was so surprised she jumped backwards and struggled for balance. Her heart pounded with the thrill of discovery. She had always loved a good surprise.

Charity stepped inside, half-expecting to see the flower shop, but she was bombarded with the sweet smell of incense. The smell reminded her of Kevin, fresh in the morning. It was good.

Her eyes took time to adjust, and when they did they widened with interest. What was this place? Contrary to what the outside sign said, the inside was eye candy, pure eye candy. Shelves were filled with rows of strange objects and statues. Charity drew closer and leaned in to one of them, breath caught.

There were ancient stone carvings of female figures with exaggerated breasts and protruding bellies, depictions of some fertility goddess. She saw necklaces littering the shelves, bits of teeth and carved ivory in between turquoise and jade. And there were other more recognizable pieces of art. She saw paintings from medieval Europe, with demons leaning over frightened humans, their horns and limbs twisted in a vision of horror which would have been terrifying for many girls, but Charity was fascinated.

Some of the paintings were unlike anything she had ever seen, such as the few on the far corner of the wall with people having sex, sometimes in groups, in strange and unnatural positions Charity had never thought of. The painter had obviously been into S and M. In every painting, there was at least one weapon, such as the woman with a knife signing her name on the man's back, and the man who was choking a woman around the waist with a rope. Charity found herself blushing and had to turn away, but her eyes returning to the paintings every few seconds, as if she couldn't pull away.

Wasn't there anyone tending this shop? Someone should have been behind the desk, but it was empty and a sort of deathly silence like one would find in a morgue hung in the air. Maybe it wasn't a shop after all, but a storage room for these treasures. Maybe Mom was involved in the black market. The thought made her snicker.

She continued around the shop. In one corner was a life-sized statue of a Chinese guard, one that would have been placed in a tomb to guard a dead emperor. Charity knew this from the Discovery Channel, which was one of Jenny's favorites. But something about this statue was very strange, very foreign to Charity. It looked alive, as if at any minute those stone arms would lift and reach for her throat. She shivered and forced herself to turn away, telling herself she was being silly.

Charity moved on, feeling as if she was flowing through all the ages of the world. There were objects that she recognized as distinctly Egyptian, some Aztec and Mayan, some Celtic, some Viking. More examples of the European Renaissance jumped out at her, but instead of the choirs of seraphim and other heavenly scenes that defined that age, these objects and paintings were twisted, demonic, and wrong in every sense. There was even a miniature, working model of a guillotine in one corner that cut her finger when she tested the blade. What an odd place.

There was a table in the far end of the room and Charity moved towards it, feeling the need to touch. Ice crept down her spine in the eerie stillness. She felt unwelcome by these objects, as if she shouldn't be there, but that was silly. They weren't alive, of course. No reason to be so jumpy.

On the table was a giant statue of an eye, about twice the size of her head. It was alive and watching her... but no, it was made of glass, and since it was an eye it only _looked_ like it was watching her. That didn't mean the eye was following her every movement in Mona Lisa fashion. It was frozen in time, unallowed to blink, and as Charity nervously ran her fingers over the surface she found it was smooth and cool. So what if it hummed with an inner electricity? Even the vivid blue of the eye, so beautiful, so alive, couldn't unnerve her now.

She moved on to the other objects on the table, less interesting than what had been on the shelves, but somehow more touchable. She picked up a round, silver glass ball and was rolling it around in her hands when she heard the first sound since she had entered.

"May I help you, miss?"

Charity whirled around with a gasp. The silver sphere slipped from her hands and shattered on the floor. "Oh..." she moaned, bending down and wincing inside. This was going to cost her. She wondered how her dad would react if she asked for his credit card. Crazy how she was this jumpy. For a moment she had envisioned the Chinese guard in the corner beckoning to her, it's stone fingers bent in invitation. _Stupid_.

She was scooping up the pieces, angry despair clouding her face, when a pair of hands moved into her view and stared helping. "Don't worry about it. We have others in storage." Charity was reminded of what made her jump in the first place - a voice as smooth and lazy as a leopard, radiating sex appeal. It had surprised her, for it was the kind of voice that didn't belong in a dark, stale shop like this.

She looked up and her mind wasn't prepared for what she saw. Eyes, glinting gold in the candlelight, pale skin and just about the most beautiful lips she had ever seen on a male. His hair was dark and hanging in his eyes, and his body was covered head to foot in what looked like black leather and chains. Definitely gay.

"Consider it on the house," he said in that same sexy voice, golden eyes widening with a hint of flirtation. Charity blinked. Well, maybe not so gay. And all the better - he had a tattoo of a dragon on his neck, the head barely peeking out from his shirt. Charity imagined bringing him home to her parents. They'd _love_ that.

"Are you going to say anything?" he asked, his voice light and flirtatious.

"Oh!" Charity lifted her head, and gave her best first impression smile. "I'm sorry. You startled me."

"Did I?"

Although he was very good-looking, Charity didn't like the way he said that, like a hunter examining his prey. She wasn't used to being looked at like that. Most of the boys in her school were intimidated by her presence, but not this guy. Interesting.

Her mind reeled with possibilities. Here she was, a pretty girl without a date on a Friday night, and a gorgeous boy who would make Julie drool with jealousy had fallen into her lap. Who said there was no such thing as fate?

She stared at him, sizing him up from that perfectly styled hair to his black leather shoes. He appeared to be about nineteen, early college age. He'd do. The boy didn't mind the attention, and smiled to encourage her, but Charity ignored the look. She had interest in him for only one reason.

"Are you busy tonight?" she asked, pleased to see him taken aback.

"Pardon?" he asked, once his lips could move again.

"Are you busy?" Charity repeated, hoping her first assessment of him wasn't all that inaccurate. She had taken him for a moderately intelligent individual.

"I..." he trailed off. He was truly stunned.

"You see, I have this thing with some friends, and my date was stolen from me, so I'm a bit out of luck. I have to get back at someone, and I can't do that alone, so if you don't mind, I'd like to take you along as my date. But you'll have to act like you like me, otherwise it won't work, okay?"

The boy blinked at her. "I..." he started again but Charity cut him off.

"It'll be fun," she insisted. "I don't see why you'd refuse. I'm not sure what we're doing, but it'll be exciting."

He cleared his throat, the gaze in his golden eyes growing confident. "Well then, Charity, I accept," he said gallantly and gave a little bow.

Charity's smile faded. "How do you know my name?" she asked, skin prickly.

He blinked again. "You told me."

"No, I didn't."

"You did. When we first met."

"I didn't!" Charity insisted, angry with him, but then shrugged. What did it matter? Maybe she had. "Fine, just meet me here tonight around seven. I think I'd like them to see this place. And then we can go to a movie, or out for shakes or something, okay?"

He nodded, apparently not trusting his voice.

"Fine, great," she said quickly. She was anxious to get out. She'd happily leave and never come back if it wasn't for Julie and her desire for revenge. Although she wasn't sure how this was getting back at Julie, it was the only thing she could do.

"Um, I'll see you later," she said and turned to leave. She heard him mutter an answer but didn't look back. She'd see him soon enough. It wasn't until she was halfway home that she realized she didn't know his name.

O O O

He stood in the dark, gloating. That had been easier than he'd expected. He hadn't been sure how he was going to deal with Mrs. Locke's daughter, and had waited patiently for her to follow his silent calls to his shop without a plan. The minute she stepped inside was destiny. She had been so straightforward that he'd been taken aback and wondered if somehow she knew his plans and was beating him at his Game. But the strange thing was that she hadn't, and it was all a lucky coincidence. Lucky for him.

He couldn't help recalling pretty Jenny's entrance into Julian's realm so many years ago. His elders kept the memory engraved on a crystal and replayed it every so often to add fire to their hatred. He had seen it many times, all of Julian's Games with her friends, and had been entertained. He could do better. The streak of humanity that had been Julian's downfall didn't exist in him. No part of him was human or ever had been.

That had been interesting, a minute ago. Charity's small frame in the dim light could easily have been Jenny twenty years ago, although there was a softness lacking from her expression that Jenny had. If he hadn't known better from watching the Locke family for weeks, he would have thought Charity a tease who lavished attention on every boy she met, but Charity was amazingly innocent that way. She didn't know the effect she had on people.

And she had solved his problem without him having to do it himself. The night was looking up. It was bound to be fun, especially since she had invited extra players to his Game without understanding what she was doing. He had planned only for her, to take her the moment she stepped through the door into the halfway place near the Shadow Realm, but a few extra tweaks to his plan and it'd be better than before. More players meant more fun. His elders would appreciate it, especially since the Cohen twins were bound to be part of the group. Unlike Julian's, _his _Game would be public.

His smile twisted into a look of half-satisfied, half-evil anticipation. He couldn't wait. The night was going to be more interesting than little Charity could imagine.


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

Charity was all abuzz, and contrary to normal girls, having a date with a guy who could model Calvin Klein underwear had nothing to do with it. It was all about the revenge, baby! She wasn't used to harboring grudges, but Julie had to learn not to _mess_ with her. And the fact that love-of-her-life-Kevin was going to be there didn't hurt things a bit.

It had taken Charity a good half hour to decide what to wear, which clearly illustrated her state of mind, since she usually grabbed whatever her hand touched first in the closet. But tonight was different - it had to be special. She wouldn't make a good impression by hanging all over that weird Goth guy alone; she had to look great while doing it.

Charity chose black, mainly because there was a ninety-percent chance her date would be wearing the same. Also, she knew Kevin would like it. She put on a simple black shirt, tight around the waist and upper arms, and then flowing out at the elbows into a peasant-style sleeve. With that she wore jean shorts and black sandals, with her hair loose and flowing. Simple, but cute. She even put on a little make-up (although she had to steal some from her mom first). Charity smiled and winked at the girl in the mirror. She was ready to go.

Getting out of the house was usually not a problem. She simply told them she was studying with Kaori. The suckers fell for it every time. But today the fact that she had taken care with her appearance had something to do with their questions, and she found herself delayed for a good fifteen minutes before she had them convinced she wasn't going to any wild unsupervised parties, opium dens, heavy metal concerts, or to film underage porn. They were a little shaken by her cheery demeanor in the face of their interrogation, but what could they do? She wasn't going anywhere to get into trouble and they had no proof that she would.

She met David and Julie sitting in David's red Camry in the Cohen's garage. David whistled when she walked up. He was in a very good mood. "Sexy baby," he said appreciatively.

Julie said nothing. Not that that was unexpected.

Charity ignored her as she got into the backseat and smiled at David. "So you've forgiven me?"

"You deserve a medal. She called me after school." He caught her eyes in the rear-view mirror. "We're going to the zoo this weekend."

"The zoo?" Charity laughed. "Think she's hinting at certain behaviors she'd like to see you perform?"

Julie let out a little outraged 'hmph', and Charity rolled her eyes. "Seriously, Davy, I'm happy for you."

"As you should be." David was so pleased that he tried to pull into reverse without starting the car, and his sister had to remind him.

"Tell me, Cherry-berry," Julie said spitefully, "who did you pull out of the gutter for tonight?"

Charity smiled. A big smile, with lots of teeth. "I'm not sure," she said. _Do not think of Kevin. Do _not.

David looked at her over his shoulder as he pulled out of the driveway. "Not sure? Should I be worried?"

"Well, I kinda forgot to ask his name," she admitted, painfully aware of Julie's malicious brown eyes watching her in the mirror.

Julie snickered and Charity stared out the window with a frozen smile. Undoubtedly the girl thought she'd had to hire an escort as a date, but Charity would show them. Once she saw - whoever the hell he was - that little smirk of hers would fall apart.

"It runs in the family," Jenny had told her once, when Charity came home one day in middle school, angrily throwing her books around and demanding why Julie always had to be a bitch.

"But they're so nice... Mr. and Mrs. Cohen," she had protested. And David... David could be President someday, he was so lovable.

"They are," Jenny had agreed and smiled. "She takes after her grandmother. Give her time. She'll grow out of it. Audrey did." She said no more.

But several years later, Julie hadn't changed. If anything, she'd gotten worse, and Charity found herself clenching her fists and doing breathing exercises Dee had taught her to calm down whenever they met, which was quite often. Otherwise, she might leap on the girl with teeth and nails, and David surely wouldn't like that. Only for his sake Charity kept trying to make peace. But Julie would have none of it.

They said little on the drive downtown. David had some trouble parallel parking, but once the car was off and locked, the three walked down the street to the meeting place. The group was already outside Joe's Pizza. Kaori and Ryan had their arms around each other. They had been locked together in the three weeks they'd been going out. Kaori looked cute as usual and winked at them, but Ryan didn't glance up since he was busy kissing her neck. Halena stood several feet away, an embarrassed smile frozen on her face, but she lit up as soon as she saw them and waved. Incidentally, so did David, blushing furiously. Charity poked him with a grin.

Kevin was there as well, leaning against a lamppost. He looked bored. And stoned.

Charity shot a nervous look at her reflection in the store window and straightened. Showtime on Operation Get Kevin Blackson. She would come out victorious if she had to strangle Julie to do it. Luckily the chance of Kevin having any interest in Julie whatsoever was less than slim to none, so all Charity had to do was make sure he noticed _her_, and _that_ wouldn't be so hard, would it? Kevin had thick skin but she promised herself that by the end of the night she would dig her way in and make him forget everything but her.

She was pleased that he barely glanced at Julie when she scuttled up to him, fluffing her red hair, but gave _her _a nod when she passed and smiled at him. An acknowledgement. Alright.

"So, what's the deal?" Kaori asked, tearing herself away from Ryan. Charity smiled at her. Besides David, Kaori was her best friend, and had a hunger for the unknown like she. Kaori was a slave to fashion innovation, but today she was looking surprisingly tame in a sleeveless, short white dress and orange, pink and green splattered scarf around her neck.

"Come and find out," Charity said, hoping she sounded mysterious and feeling a pit start to grow in her stomach, for she actually had no idea what to do with them. Hopefully the guy in black leather would have some ideas. He seemed the type to know places she had never discovered.

The group was as surprised as she to find that the knob on the side of the building opened into a real doorway. David started telling them about the physical impossibilities of a room appearing out of nowhere, but he was silenced as everyone pushed inside eagerly. Charity felt a thrill of excitement. She had done nothing, and already the night had started out great. Score for her.

"Wow," Halena breathed as she stepped inside, eyes wide and little face interested. The others, although silent, seemed to echo her sentiment as they spread around the room looking at the strange objects, touching and exploring.

"This is..." David started, but trailed off as he picked up a oddly-shaped vase and fingered it. A moment later he looked at her. "Amazing."

It was cold. Charity wrapped her arms around herself and shivered. She hadn't remembered it being so cold earlier. Maybe the air conditioning was on. But that was silly – the October weather that year had been unusually cool, and her own parents had turned the air off weeks ago.

None of the others were bothered by the chill; they were enthralled with the room before them. Kaori picked up a strand of beads with turquoise and other, earthy-colored gemstones and fingered it, almond eyes narrowed in interest. Ryan was beside her, whispering, and before Charity could say anything he stuck one of the strands in his pocket. Both turned away innocently, snickering. Charity started to say something, but then stopped. So what? Not her problem.

David was looking at the giant glass eye, tilting his head and frowning as if trying to figure out what it was for. Julie was staring open-mouthed at the sex paintings Charity had seen earlier that day. Charity felt like laughing as she saw the girl's pure, Christian brain turn to mush. Kevin stood in the middle of the room, not looking at anything, just staring at the floor with his arms folded.

Halena stared at some baskets across the room, her hand dangling before them but not touching. "I recognize these," she said softly. "Native American. Hopi. My dad and I went to the Southwest last summer and visited a reservation. But I..." She looked up and saw Charity watching her. "What _is_ this place?" she asked in a whisper.

Charity felt another chill but turned before the girl noticed. She'd never admit it to anyone, but she was starting to feel uneasy, the way she had that afternoon before the boy in black appeared. Her leg muscles tensed, ready to run out the door at a moment's notice. She scolded herself for being such a baby. She was Charity Locke... never scared of the dark, never frightened from a dream... nothing about a strange, little hidden shop should worry her.

In distraction, Charity looked towards the door and froze. The fact was, there _was_ no door, not anymore. She looked at it calmly, trying to make sense of it like she had as a child, staring into the darkness long enough to determine that the dark shape she had woken up to was only a stuffed rabbit on her chair, or a hat flung haphazardly over her lamp. But as long as Charity stared, the fact remained that the door was gone and some sinking part of her knew it couldn't be an illusion.

"Charity?" Halena asked, still watching her. Wordlessly, Charity pointed towards the door and the others followed her motion, all stunned by the fact that it was gone.

"It can't be real," David said frantically. "It's a... a hologram of some sort. Some kind of mental trick."

"Bullshit," Julie said, shooting forward angrily. She placed her hands flat on the wall and moved them around, feeling for a knob. A few seconds passed and her movements became frantic as she wildly flung her hands over the wood and then started pounding on the wall in a panic.

"Jules, stop it!" David cried, leaping towards her, and pulled her away from the wall. Julie relaxed against him, breathing heavily but more calmly. When she raised her hands Charity saw with a jolt that they were shaking and bloody with splinters.

Charity let out her breath in a rush, anger replacing her fear. She didn't like Julie, but she was angry at the boy in black, if it indeed was he, for pulling a prank that had gotten her best friend's sister hurt. She looked around the room, expecting to see him in a corner chuckling to himself, but all she saw were the pale faces of the group: Halena clutching the table so hard her knuckles were white... Kaori and Ryan clutching each other... Kevin finally looking up and watching the scene with the casual, detached interest of a person who unexpectedly stumbled onto a crime scene...

Charity bit her lip and stepped forward. "Okay, you can come out now!" she said, her voice hard. "You've had your fun. Now how about you get us some band-aids before the Cohens decide to sue you!"

"Sue?" The voice was light, amused. Charity whirled around and gasped when she came face to face with the boy in black. "Suing isn't going to help when I'm done with them." His golden eyes glowed an unearthly light in the dim room and then with a strange smile, he disappeared.

Charity stepped back in shock.

"What _is_ this?" Kaori demanded, her voice on the edge of hysteria. She clutched Ryan, who was paler than she and was staring with his mouth gaping open. Charity herself was blinking slowly, as if in doing so she could change the memory of what had happened. But how could she be imagining this? The frightened whimpering of Julie cradled in David's arms told her none of it was a dream.

"It's getting cold," Kevin observed, his voice flat. Charity looked at him sharply. He was the only one unaffected by the strange events, and as Charity looked into his eyes she realized he thought he was still high from whatever he'd taken, and that this was only a hallucination.

"Kevin," she said urgently, but he ignored her, staring now at the big, brilliant eye on the table. No help from that corner. And the others were all too frightened to speak.

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" she cried suddenly, angry at them, angry at herself for being so useless. "None of this can be real! Come on, we've got to find a way out of here."

She stepped forward and started pulling at a shelf, hoping it covered a door or some other means of escape – for obviously the boy had left the room somehow. A heartbeat passed with no one helping, but then Halena silently stepped forward. They tugged and Charity heard some of the objects fall off the shelf but she no longer cared. If the boy gave a damn, he could come back and fix them. Now Charity just wanted to get out.

There was a small creak and then a sliding sound that Charity was sure didn't come from the shelf. She paused and listened, heart pounding, but it had stopped. She shook her head and kept going.

"I think it's coming," Halena said, her voice distorted by jagged breaths.

Scrape. Scrape.

"Charity," said Kevin. His voice was odd.

"Not now," she said grunting as she pulled.

"But Charity..."

"One _moment_ Kevin," she snapped, not believing she was high-strung enough to snap at Kevin, her love – but what was _he_ doing to help?

Kevin shut up, but Charity felt his eyes on her.

"Almost got it," she gasped and as she and Halena gave a final tug, the shelf moved away from the wall. "There!" she said triumphantly and stuck her head behind it to look. "There _is_ a passage!"

There was. It was narrow and dark, but it was a way out. Charity didn't care where it led, so long as it was away.

She looked back at Halena and smiled, but saw the small girl looking at her, her lips tinged blue. "Ch... Charity..." she started and then stopped.

"What?" Charity asked uneasily. There was a silence and then Charity felt a hand clamp over her shoulder. Hard and cold.

She turned her head and screamed.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six **

The Chinese guard statue which had frightened her so much earlier had come to life and was leering at her, stone lips curved into a growl. One hand was gripping her shoulder and the other was holding a sword above her head, positioned to swing in an instant and slice her head in half like an overripe pumpkin.

"Charity!" Halena and David were by her side, tugging at her, trying to pull her away, but the stone hand was too strong. Kaori and Ryan, after a slight hesitation, were also there, Kaori trying to pry at the fingers that held her friend and Ryan wrestling with the sword, trying to keep it away from her.

_It's useless_, she thought with atypical despair. She could feel the thing's strength and knew it was using only a portion of it. It could easily crush them all with one swing. It was only biding its time.

Julie was huddled in the corner, clutching her hands and sobbing, and Kevin simply stared, some emotion entering his face, mingling with confusion. Charity looked away and concentrated on twisting herself out of the giant's hold.

"Pull," David urged. "Come on, Char, you can do it."

But Charity _couldn't_, and that was the horror of it. She was used to being free, to being able to control the situation, and the fact that she was trapped was making her shake, making it difficult to move. She felt panicked, like a fly caught in a spider's web, and was desperate to get out before it killed her.

A sudden movement caught her attention, and numbly Charity turned. Kevin stood beside her, raising the glass blue eye over his head. She gasped as he swung it down on the stone head of the guard, and with an iridescent explosion of electric color, it shattered.

It took Charity a moment to realize that the thing had released her, and she jumped away with a feeling of jubilation. She was free! She looked around in wonder. Kevin was holding a shattered piece of the glass eye, staring at the stone creature with wide eyes, finally realizing this wasn't a dream. The others were either looking at the stone creature or the blue mist that hung at the ceiling and sparkled and fizzled with energy. Charity felt the ring on her finger start to hum and buzz, but under the circumstances, didn't think much of it.

For the creature was moving, getting over its momentary surprise, and was gathering itself and getting up to prepare for a fight. The explosion had knocked it to the ground and now it swung back and forth like a turtle on its back trying to stand.

"Go, let's go!" David yelled, sensing the danger as she did.

"Where...?" Kaori gasped, and Charity, whose eyes were drawn to the mist, saw that it was floating behind the shelf and down the dark passage she and Halena had unveiled.

"There," she said. She darted toward the shelf and started pulling, trying to widen the gap for all of them to fit through. Halena, the slimmest, slipped to the other side and pushed. Soon, Kaori and Ryan were able to go through and Charity followed.

"David, come on!" she yelled, but David was looking back and her heart sank when she followed his gaze. Julie lay on the floor, crying and rocking in terror. With a panicked glance at Charity, David shot into the room, and grabbed his sister, picking her up with one arm behind her back and another beneath her knees. He ran with her easily, even though Charity knew Julie was not a light girl.

David came closer, and to Charity's panicked eyes, everything was in slow motion. She saw him nearing, his steps loud against the floor and heard clearly through the dull roaring that filled the room, a low and ancient sound. She saw the guard look up and its eyes flash black as it lifted its sword and swiped at David's legs when he went running past.

David stumbled, but straightened and kept going with gritted teeth. Halena was screaming and Charity was too numb to speak. But when David reached her she suddenly came to life and tears swam down her cheeks.

"Davy..." she started but he shook his head.

"No time. Just a scratch," he said through gritted teeth and helped Julie to her feet, who was still sniffling. Even in the dim light Charity saw a dark stream of blood flowing down his leg. But he was right: there was no time. The guard grabbed the shelf behind them and started pulling itself up.

"Push, everyone!" Charity yelled, and they all went into action, pushing the shelf back into place before it could reach them. They were almost there when the sword cut through the wood directly before Kaori's face and she screamed.

"Run," David said, face pale, and no one argued with him.

The passage was dark but they ran as a group, stumbling awkwardly through the darkness with their hands before them, groping for dangers that lay ahead. Charity held David's hand and ran with him, making sure he could keep up. She was worried about him; he was being so quiet.

"It's okay," she said after a minute, gasping. "I don't think it's coming after us."

They stopped and Charity felt the collective trembling of the group.

"What _was_ that?" Kaori demanded after a minute, but no one had an answer for her.

"Better yet, where are we?" Kevin asked, his voice dry. Charity shot a glance at him, but couldn't make out his face in the darkness. She took a deep breath and lifted her eyes. In the distance, she saw a faint glimmer of blue light down the tunnel.

"Come on," she said, starting forward, and tugged on David's hand. She heard his breathing, little gasps of pain interrupting his breaths every so often, and felt her stomach wrench with guilt. This was her fault, her idea, and now David and Julie were hurt, and no one knew if what lay ahead of them in the darkness would harm them as well. Absurdly, Charity couldn't apologize and concentrated on slowly making her way through the darkness, following the light.

No one spoke for a long moment until the light turned a corner and paused, hovering in the air. Charity looked at it with confusion, and then heard Halena's slow intake of breath.

"Look," she said pointing forward. Charity looked.

At the end of the tunnel was another room.

"Well, let's go," she said after a slight hesitation, trying to sound confident. She pushed forward, hearing them follow. Her heart pounded uneasily as they got closer. She wished she knew where she was leading them.

Charity blinked as she stepped into the room, eyes confused from the sudden light. She felt the others move beside her. David tried to put a protective arm around her shoulders, but she shook it off and stepped forward. There was no point in being leader if everyone thought she was afraid, when she _wasn't_... at least they didn't have to know.

She looked around, confused by what she saw. They were in a courtroom.

"...the hell?" Ryan said and Kaori started mumbling to herself. Something about bad mushrooms at dinner.

"Okay," said David, breathing unsteadily. "Okay..."

"_Now_ what? Where are we?" Halena asked, to no one in particular.

"The Shadow World, of course," a voice answered and Charity gritted her teeth in preparation before turning. It was him, leaning casually against the empty box where a jury would normally sit. Although part of her leapt in fear at seeing this strange boy who caused so much trouble, the rest absurdly wanted to laugh. Not only from shock and distress, but because he was dressed in a bad imitation of English judges, with black robes and white wig.

But she didn't laugh. She thought it best not to anger him, at least until she knew what he wanted.

"The what?" Halena asked politely, as if speaking to a tour guide.

"The Shadow World," he repeated, smiling brilliantly. Dark hair peeked out from underneath the wig. "Don't tell me you've never heard of it, that none of you _know_?" His smile grew wider as the group stared at him in silence. "None of you ever imagined there was something in the universe that couldn't be explained by science, something else, something unworldly that haunted your dreams? Something that hunts the weak and resurrects the strong? Something that calls to your blood and terrifies you in the night?"

They were silent again, not understanding, not wanting to. Charity knew the speech was meant to scare them, but she felt herself getting angry instead.

"Why are we here?" she demanded, folding her arms. Those golden eyes shot towards her and she felt her heart sink a little but kept her gaze strong and unwavering.

"For the judgment, of course," he said, looking pleased at her attempt to be brave, and smiled to let her know he saw through it. _The judgment_. He said it as if it were obvious, and maybe it was. They _were_ in a courtroom.

No one asked the next question, so he did it for them. "Oh, for whom?" He paused and looked around the group. "Not you."

Charity saw Kaori relax slightly, but the others were still watching him warily.

"The price is already decided," a voice like nails on glass said and Charity felt shivers work down her spine. "We have the prey, let us play with them."

"Not yet," the boy snapped and then smiled, an eerie, chilling smile. Julie shrank against David, shivering. "We must wait for the accused."

_The accused_? Charity thought, more confused than ever but afraid to show it. She kept her spine straight and her eyes on the boy.

"Who are you?" she asked in a whisper.

"Me?" A grin. "Kadar. And you're Charity Locke. We'll have plenty of time to get acquainted later. Now I have business to attend to." He started to move, but then looked towards the tunnel and laughed. Charity saw the blue mist creeping slowly into the room and unexpectedly the skin around her ring start to sting and tingle. She rubbed it absently.

Kadar laughed again. "Well look, the little bug's found his way home." He waved his hand. "Saves me a trip, but that's for later. I have business, very important business elsewhere. Cheerio," he added cheerfully and disappeared.

And when he did, Kaori screamed and Charity felt her blood freeze.

The jury box wasn't empty after all. Sitting behind where Kadar had stood was a... thing. A grotesque, but distinctly interesting thing with green scaly skin and the glowing yellow eyes of an alligator. It was looking at her.

Charity groped behind her for David, not caring anymore about putting on a façade. She had been afraid of Kadar, but he at least looked human, not like this creature that was something out of a nightmare. With a horrified start, she realized it wasn't the only one. Slowly creeping up from the other seats, were _other_ things. She hadn't seen them before because they were so small, but now they were standing and looking her, their shining eyes vicious and wide with anticipation.

Charity trembled and was grateful for David's hand in hers. The others crowded around, touching one another for comfort, even Kevin. They were too frightened to be embarrassed by the intimacy.

The things were whispering in a language that sounded ancient and _wrong_. There was a little gray one, withered and pallid like a fetus, and another with red-leather skin. One had purple scales and what looked like a hand sticking out of the top of its head, opening and closing into a fist. And the eyes... the eyes were what terrified her most. Brilliant and strangely beautiful, they glittered at them as if from a dark place, and Charity recognized them. They were the archetypical evil eyes, the eyes in the dark, the watching eyes that everyone on earth knew about in their subconscious minds and feared...

They were watching them with hunger. _Hunger_, as if they'd like nothing better than to whip the kids into a stir fry. They were laughing, some strange and guttural and _evil_-sounding chuckles, others like the high-pitched shrieks of banshees.

Charity was sick with fear of them. For once in her life she didn't care what the others thought and threw back her head in a scream.

"_Mom_!!"


	7. Chapter Seven

Hi all. I think I've been a slacker long enough, so here's a couple more chapters to satisfy idle curiosity.

To answer the question about Kevin's all-knowingness: Potheads are very mysterious - they know things that we normal folk do not. ;) No, but seriously - Kev's just an observant guy. That's all.

I hope you like.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Jenny was carrying tuna casserole from the oven to the table when a jolt came over her and she dropped it. Cursing to herself, she bent down to clean it up. She had been jumpy since last night, seeing things in shadows that she knew shouldn't be there. That's what the adult Jenny knew. But the teenage Jenny that still lived in her skin and breathed with her knew there _were_ things in the dark, evil things that could harm her.

_Not anymore_, she told herself firmly. The Games were over and had been for years. No use to drag these thoughts to the surface again. No need to relive the fear.

Jenny finished scraping the last bits of casserole into the trash and swept a paper towel around the floor before going into the living room and grimly telling her husband they would have to order in that night. Tom was about to reach for the phone and order Chinese from Moon Flower Wok when a boy appeared in the room in a burst of golden light.

"Good evening," he said happily before Jenny could speak. Tom looked over the top of his reading glasses and gaped.

She knew what he was instantly. The fear inside indicated nothing else. But how was it possible? Julian had been the youngest Shadow Man, and all the others were ugly, grotesque.

"I'm new," he assured her, hearing her thoughts. "You could say I'm Julian's replacement."

Tom got up off the Lazy-Boy and went to Jenny, putting his arms around her protectively. "You're not having her," he told the newcomer bravely, although Jenny could feel him shaking.

The Shadow Man threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, you flatter her, you really do," he said with a glimmer in his golden eyes. "I'm not here to steal your wife. That was Julian's plan, not mine. I have better things to do than chase old ladies."

Tom took an angry step forward but Jenny held him back, fear eating her insides. The boy looked at her hand on Tom's arm and smiled.

"Better things, like kidnapping young girls," he said conversationally. Jenny felt Tom go still and for an instant her heart stopped beating.

"Who are you?" she whispered and he looked at her with an arched eyebrow as if they were sharing a joke.

"Kadar. But that hardly matters." He looked around the room, like a guest casually taking things in. He moved to the mantle above the fireplace and looked at a family portrait that hung beside the porcelain vases, one taken several years ago of the family sitting in a field and laughing. Back when Charity still smiled and was comfortable with her family.

"Beautiful girl, Charity," he observed, turning back to mock them with his golden eyes. This time Jenny couldn't hold onto Tom as he charged forward with a cry of anger.

"I wouldn't do that," Kadar warned and held up a hand, his voice soft and deadly, unlike the happy lilt he'd spoken in earlier. "You wouldn't like what I can do."

"Tom," Jenny pleaded, but it was unnecessary. He had stopped.

"Good," Kadar said, smiling again. "We might as well be friends if we're going to be spending time together."

"No," Tom said, looking tough even though his voice was shaking. Jenny worried about him. He was tall and proud as ever, but his hair was starting to thin and show streaks of gray. He was getting older and wasn't as strong as he'd been at seventeen. He couldn't stand up to a Shadow Man now any better than he'd been able to stand against Julian then. He knew that, of course, and this streak of bravery in him despite that made her heart swell with love, overcoming her fear.

"You can't touch us," Tom said, sounding much less sure than he wanted. "Julian said that you couldn't come after us anymore." He'd said Julian's name. Jenny realized with a jolt that he hadn't spoken it since that final day in her grandfather's basement when she'd held Julian's hand and he had slipped away into darkness, into death.

Kadar cocked his head and smiled that chilling smile. Jenny noted how beautiful he was, as beautiful as she'd always thought the Shadow Men should be. But there was an aura of darkness around him that Julian never had, and she knew instinctively that he was capable of worse. While Julian had talked about all the bad things he could do to her, Kadar would do them, and do them with glee.

"Yes," he said finally, in response to Tom. "Julian did make sure of that, the interfering bastard. We can't touch you, or any of your friends."

"Then you have no business here," Tom continued, reaching for Jenny's hand. She slipped beside him and gripped him tightly, willing her strength into him. "Unless you plan on hanging around like a spook… _watching_."

Kadar laughed. The sound chilled Jenny's blood. "Hardly," he said with amusement. "Rather it is you who will be watching."

Something about that illogical statement made Jenny step forward, made her crinkle her brow and ask, "Watching what?"

"I can't do anything to you," Kadar continued, and glanced behind him at the family portrait on the wall. "Not to you." Suddenly Jenny understand, and she gripped Tom's hand so hard that her fingers turned white.

"God," she gasped. "Oh, God, _no_!"

Charity. They had Charity.

"I'm a little disappointed in her, actually," he admitted, lifting his shoulders in a shrug. "A few minutes into the Game and she's already screaming for you."

"No." Jenny slowly sank to the ground, and Tom, instead of supporting her, fell with her.

"I thought it would be a bit of a challenge, knowing your daughter's spirit, but I have a feeling it may be a very _short_ Game."

"No!" Jenny was furious at him despite her terror. "You can't! I'll do anything. Take me and let her go."

"Now, where's the fun in that?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. "I'm afraid you're missing the point of this little treat of mine. It's not about her. It never has been. It's about you. And _Tommy_." His strange eyes glanced at her husband, pale and shaking next to her. "And Dee, and Audrey, and Michael, and Zach and… well, Summer, if she were here."

Jenny closed her eyes, not needing a reference to Summer at that moment. Summer and her husband had been killed in a car crash several years ago, and Jenny had never gotten over the loss of a lifetime friend.

"The point is not to terrorize the kids, it's to cause you pain, all of you. Anything we do to them will be more painful than if we do it to you. So even if we could, we would not." He laughed, and Jenny felt the truth. She would die a thousand deaths to save Charity, endure a thousand tortures, but instead she was being made to watch as they harmed her daughter.

"No," she gasped again. "You _can't_." But he could. And he did. Before her, appeared a screen, a television carved of ice. With a flick of his hand, Jenny saw Charity reflected there, her eyes wide and face pale against her dark hair. She was with others: Jenny felt sick as she recognized David and Julie from next door, and their friend Kaori. There were also two boys and a girl she didn't recognize. And they weren't alone.

Jenny gripped Tom with a moan when she saw _them_, the other Shadow Men. The horror of Kadar was nothing compared to them, laughing at the children, gesturing towards them. Jenny felt faint, but she would _not _pass out, not now.

"Enjoy," Kadar said with a little bow of his head and disappeared. Tom and Jenny sat in silence, neither of them knowing what to say, and watched the screen for several minutes until there was a panicked knocking on the door. Neither got up to answer, and seconds later they heard the door crash open and the pounding of feet. Jenny knew it was Michael and Audrey before they reached them.

"Let me guess," Tom said in a strained voice, not bothering to turn around. "You just had a visit from the newest Shadow Man."

"_Mon Dieu_," Audrey whispered, and Michael supported her as she sagged against him. Silently, they knelt on the floor beside Jenny and Tom, Audrey shaking with silent sobs.

They watched. There was nothing to do but watch. Ironic, really, that in this Game they were forced to do what the Shadow Men always had. They weren't the chief players this time, and it hurt as much as Kadar had promised it would.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight **

The tall one left the jury box and came towards her. Charity pinched herself so she wouldn't faint. No matter what, as long as she was conscious she had a chance. The thought of what they could do to her while she was unconscious made her break out in cold shivers.

The scaly sinewy arm reached towards her. Charity shrank back against David, trying to melt her body into his to get away. Oh God, if that thing touched her… if she had to feel that rough, slimy flesh against her own… she would die. No question about it. She would drop dead the instant she felt it.

Luckily it didn't come to that. The next instant Kadar appeared, laughing. Charity had begun to wonder about his sanity: even for a creature of darkness he seemed a bit _off_. The leathery, slimy creatures whispering at her had intelligence in their eyes. Kadar was just a laughing maniac.

"Not now," he said pleasantly to the alligator one who had stopped and was looking at him. "We want to save the best for last, understand?"

The thing growled a little but backed away. Before it turned to go, it looked back at Charity and its eyes glimmered with something like a hidden promise. She hoped she never found out whatit meant to do to her.

"The Shadow Men," Kadar told her, rolling his eyes patiently. "They're fun but a little impatient. I _told _them it would be better this way, but they have their doubts. After your mother and her friends, I can hardly blame them."

Charity's mind whirred on several thoughts. The first was: these creatures were Shadow Men like him, and he was calling them _fun_?

The other wondered what he meant about her mother. It wasn't possible. Her mother had never done anything interesting in her life. Certainly nothing like this.

Right?

The others were as confused as she, especially Julie and Kaori who knew her mother – all except David. He was holding himself very steady, looking evenly and seriously at Kadar. There was no surprise in his face, and only a hint of fear. Charity wanted to question him, but now was not the time.

She looked at Kadar, part of her relieved that he had chased the creature away, but the other apprehensive, for surely whatever he had in mind for them was not wrought with good intentions. And that frightened her out of her mind.

But she was going to be calm. If not for herself, for the others.

"You have us," she said slowly, using all her energy to keep her voice from trembling. "What is it you want?"

"Want?" Kadar tilted his head and looked thoughtful. "I suppose the question is more what do _you_ want?"

Charity was stunned into silence. She stared at him, not understanding, until David mumbled behind her, "You said you wanted an adventure."

Kadar shrugged. That wicked gleam was back in his golden eyes. "I live to deliver," he said.

Charity felt her shaking quiet. A heat was building inside her chest, an anger. How dare he, how _dare_ he! "If this is about me, let the others go!" she yelled. "I don't understand any of this, but it has nothing to do with them. You wanted me, you got me."

Kadar's eyes were sparkling. "Brave words from the little girl," he said gleefully. "But I'm afraid you're wrong. This is _not_ about you, and the others have willingly stumbled into my world so I'm afraid they'll have to stay."

Kadar continued, one hand lightly tracing the wood paneling of the judge booth. "This was never about you. Me and my friends strive for bigger fish."

He turned back to her and his golden eyes gleamed. "Twenty years ago a group of teenagers sat down one night and played a Game." He waved his arm and a small mirror appeared in his hand. At first Charity was looking at her own reflection, but then it shimmered and showed a golden head instead. Her mother at sixteen. She was trembling, looking at something beyond the mirror. Her image faded and others appeared in succession. Audrey. Zach. Michael. Summer. Dee. Her father… All of them frightened and so young.

Charity understood in an instant. "You…" she said slowly. "You've done this before." And with sudden clarity, she added: "They got away then, and we will too."

"Oh, not me, I didn't do it, not to her. That was a very different Game leader. And I'm afraid I don't have the same code of honor that he had. I'm in it for the chase, and nothing else." The other Shadow Men were snickering, and Charity felt sick inside, especially when he added musically, "We play for keeps."

Chills all over, Charity stood frozen, mouth gaping open. She couldn't move.

"Of course, they would love to just take you right now, but I think you merit a Game first, even if it's one you cannot win. It would be fun."

_For whom_? Charity wondered dizzily. But there was nothing she could do. The silence from the others let her know they were thinking the same.

"One more piece of the puzzle and we're ready to play," Kadar said, eyes intense as he smiled at the ceiling. Charity followed his gaze and looked at the blue mist that was still hovering there. "You see, this is a revenge Game," he said slowly. "Not only against your parents…"

The mist shimmered like a blue glitter lamp and began to take shape. It became a swirling blob of energy and Charity started to open her mouth but shut it again, mesmerized. The Shadow Men mumbled in unison, chanting as the mist floated closer. Charity felt a calm sweep over her as she watched.

"There," Kadar said, pointing when the blob formed a definite shape, a human figure. A round ball emerged at the top, that was the head, and after a few moments individual fingers were visible on the hands. Her ring was alive now with a sudden heat and she glanced down at it to see that it was glowing. A thought struck her and with sudden realization she looked back at the shape that was shimmering with blue lighting.

Could it be?

Her mother had had the ring for a long time, since she was a teenager. Her father refused to talk about it, and had shown his dislike whenever she wore it. Almost as if he was afraid of it.

Her mother had played the Game twenty-some years before, and won… what if her Shadow Man, the one with the code of honor, had let her escape?

And if this ring _was_ from him… if it was suddenly responding and flaring to life…

Did that mean he was here?

Hope surged in her chest. If he'd helped her mother maybe he'd help her as well…

But the swirling blue mass hardened into a shell, and with an explosion of light like the one when Kevin had smashed the glass eye, she saw another boy standing in the room.

At least that's what she _thought_ he was, but something about him was too beautiful to be real. Too supernatural. Kadar had been the best-looking guy she had ever seen, but he was only a flickering candle compared to this boy. He filled the room with his energy, pulsing with an internal flame. His hair was white… she had always attributed that to old people, but somehow she felt any other color on him would be inappropriate. His eyes were a startling shade of blue that she had no name for, something bold and electric and powerful that left her gasping for a moment trying to figure it out.

It took several seconds for the shock to wear off, and then with a startling thrum, Charity felt her hopes drop to the ground. The boy was not looking like the benevolent spirit of goodness she imagined him to be, but rather hostile and dark. He looked around the room in mild surprise, but with a deadly heat in his eyes that made him look like he was ready to kill if anyone gave him a reason.

He barely glanced at her and her group. Charity felt a faint flicker of annoyance, but at the same time she was glad. If he looked at _her _like that, she would have felt there was no hope for any of them.

He stood like a prince, and fixed his angry gaze on Kadar who was nearest him. "Who are you?" he demanded, and Charity felt a shiver of a different kind. His voice was silken lace, despite his efforts to make it stony. She blinked several times and saw his eyes narrow. He stepped forward indignantly.

Kadar clapped his hands and laughed.

"Wonderful," he said gleefully. "We've been looking forward to your arrival, Julian."

"Julian." Someone whispered it behind her. She thought it was David, but he wasn't looking at her when she hesitantly turned around.

"You know him?" she whispered, sure that he did. His behavior the past few minutes proved he knew more than the rest of them.

"My father," he said, tightening his lips. "He told me once on a father-son camping trip, after a few too many Heinekens. I didn't believe him…" He stopped, but Charity understood. Mr. Cohen was a science fiction writer, like his father before him, and told stories spontaneously. She squeezed his hand and looked back at the two Shadow Men, who were locked eye to eye, blue and gold.

Julian didn't speak, and glared at Kadar. He felt threatened, with good reason, and was waiting for the other to make a move.

Kadar laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Oh, don't be like that, old friend," he said suddenly. "We're not going to harm you. We're here to help."

_My ass_, thought Charity savagely. She didn't trust their intentions any more than Julian did. She had heard them talk of him earlier, with sneers and anger, and knew he'd have to be a complete fool to be taken in. And she had seen a flash of cool intelligence in his eyes, so that wouldn't happen.

But Julian was looking at Kadar steadily, slightly less defensive. "Who are you?" he asked again, which Charity thought was a perfectly legitimate question since they couldn't have known each other, but his next question stunned her. "Who… am I?"

Kadar looked at him with sympathy, feigned she was sure, but a good imitation. "My dear," he said, "it hurts, I know. To be defeated by such a small girl and her mortal friends – well, I would have repressed the memory as well."

Julian went very still. "Defeated?"

"Yes." Kadar nodded, a gleam in his eyes. "She tricked you. Killed you, and escaped. Jenny."

"Jenny." He tested the word, and frowned, trying to bring up the memory without success. Charity meanwhile stood frozen. Killed? _Her_ mother? Ridiculous! Jenny rescued everything she could, from wounded cats to fish that had beached themselves. The idea of her killing anyone, especially this beautiful boy, made her want to laugh, but of course, she did not.

Julian wasn't amused. "That name…" he said slowly. "It means… something. I can't remember." Anger flashed in his eyes as he looked at Kadar. "Why?"

"She carved you out of existence, and it was all we could do to bring you back. You remember, don't you?"

Julian nodded. "The runestave."

"Yes. She unmade you. Now, what do you want to do to her?"

Julian's eyes grew cold. "Kill her."

Charity shivered: there was no joking in his voice. He meant it. Kadar laughed, pleased. "Unfortunately," he said, "the girl was a little sorceress. We cannot get to her. Believe me, we've tried."

That was when Kadar turned to her and smiled, pure evil. "But," he continued, "we have something better. Her daughter."

Julian turned to her then, and although part of her expected… something, he looked at her with the same coldness he had given Kadar. "Kill her," he said, and although Charity at first thought he was repeating his sentiments about her mother, she quickly realized he meant _her_. She looked at him with shock. So chilly, so dispassionate… she had been wrong about him. He was nothing more than a killer like the rest. She swallowed back disappointment and concentrated on making her face as blank as possible.

"Soon," Kadar said soothingly. "We want to have fun with them first."

_Great_, Charity thought, so in shock by now that her fear had vanished. She was resigned, somehow, to what lay ahead. But the others couldn't say the same. Kevin and David stared at Julian with disquieting fear, and the others crowded together whimpering. Halena was crying. Julie, however, was doing nothing, for she had dropped into a faint the instant Julian appeared, and was being supported by David's other arm.

She sensed Julian looking at her and turned to stare at him, trying to match his gaze with the best heated stare she could manage. She felt personally betrayed, and realized fully that he was her enemy. If he wasn't going to help them, he was against them… and no one she could trust. She let him know all this in her glare.

Julian's face had been changing so slightly that she hadn't noticed, but now she saw with a thrill of surprise that he looked confused and slightly unnerved. Although there had been blind hatred before, now there was a slight frown on his lips, and his eyes looked her over with badly concealed interest. Something sparked in those depths of blue and for an instant he looked unsettled.

Charity looked away before her expression changed as well. Her heart was thrumming anxiously, and she didn't know what to make of it. She found herself staring at Kadar, who she _did_ hate with a passion. Instead of the ugly stare she expected from him, he was looking at her with amusement. Knowingly, winningly.

Charity turned her head again and looked at the ground. She'd had enough of the Shadow Men and needed time alone to think. But in this world, time was not her own.

"Let the games begin," the older Shadow Men were shouting. They had been waiting for so long and didn't want to be denied fresh blood. Charity felt the hunger in them and was sickened. She wondered how they'd do it – did they eat people by killing them first, or bit by bit, letting them stay alive to feel the agony of their teeth?

She shivered. _Not going to happen_, she told herself fiercely. She had always been good at getting herself out of tricky situations. There had to be a loophole here, and she was going to find it and get them all out alive.

She looked again at Julian, but he was watching the other Shadow Men, his expression bored. Wonderful.

Kadar smiled at her, the smile of a predator. "Let the games begin," he echoed softly, sounding sane and perfectly cold for the first time.

Charity cast one last look at Julian to see him gazing at her thoughtfully before everything went dark.


	9. Chapter Nine

Hi, thanks for your comments. I actually have through CH15 written, but since I really hate the direction the story is going, I'm going to do some serious rewriting before putting them up. Me and my finicky writer silliness...

Some action actually starts happening in this chapter and the next. Hope you all enjoy. :)

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

"Julian…"

Jenny's lips parted when she saw him, but instead of feeling cold like she had when Kadar arrived, she felt something inside that was warm and alive. Something she hadn't felt in years. Since she had last seen _him_…

"Jenny." Tom's voice was sharp, and she realized with a start that she was leaning against the glass, tracing the image of Julian with her fingertips. She sat back hastily but her eyes lingered on the screen. Julian _alive_? But they'd killed him…

She remembered Michael musing after the last Game so long again, wondering what would happen if someone carved Julian's name back on the runestave. Well, someone had. If he'd been carved off in the first place. Maybe they had kept him somewhere alive until now, alone and in the dark. The idea was chilling. She had no proof that they ever unmade them… only Julian saying they would.

They'd kept her grandfather to play with – why not Julian as well?

Jenny suddenly felt very cold.

"I don't believe it," Audrey said flatly.

"Believe it," Tom said, voice strained. He was more disturbed than the rest of them, but of course while the others had known him better, Tom had little to no reason to like Julian or even care that he had died. Jenny felt his protective grasp around her shoulders and sensed his worry in the tenseness of his fingers. Ridiculous, of course, that Julian would try to come after her again when she was a middle-aged married woman with a child… but Tom wasn't thinking reasonably.

And Jenny realized with a start that Julian rarely did.

"Something's not right," Audrey said softly, and Jenny turned her attention back to the screen. Kadar was speaking to Julian, seemingly comforting him, but she saw the glimmer of triumph in his eyes, a satisfaction Julian didn't notice. She listened to his words… complete lies, but Julian was taking it all in like a trusting child.

_She'd_ killed him? Absurd, unless Kadar meant that Julian had died _for_ her, to save her. But somehow she knew Kadar wouldn't clarify if asked.

"So that's their game," Michael said weakly. "They're playing with him too. Unless they've forgiven him and are only stretching the truth for his benefit."

"Do you _think_ the Shadow Men are forgiving types?" Audrey demanded.

They all knew the answer to that.

Jenny felt a stab of fear, not only for the children but Julian as well. In all likelihood, they had _not_ forgiven him, and were planning something equally nasty to deal with his betrayal. Rubbing her arms to stop the goosebumps, she narrowed her eyes at the television and watched Charity and Julian's stare-down. When something in his hard expression wavered, a surge of hope rose in her chest.

"I wonder," she said softly. The others looked at her curiously, but she wouldn't say more.

Strange how much Charity looked like her. Even if Julian claimed not to remember, maybe her presence would trigger something in his memory…

But before she could complete her thought, the screen went dark and there was a frantic pounding on the front door. The adults looked at one another warily, unable to get up, unwilling to move. But there was no need, for an instant later the door crashed open and pounding footsteps came down the hall. A panting, dark woman rushed into the room.

"What the hell?" she demanded, eyes flashing. "I got a visit from a little dark bastard an hour ago saying that I'd better get over here because he was going to try something on my Cherry baby."

Dee had arrived.

Suddenly overcome, Jenny bent her head into her hands and started to cry.

0 0 0

Charity woke slowly, painfully aware of the heat beating down her back. She opened her eyes and was greeted with a flash of brightness that persisted until she blinked enough to see the orange sun hovering over her. Her muscles ached and it was an effort to pull herself to a sitting position. The ground rocked beneath her. When the rushing dizziness from her mind ebbed, she lifted her head and stared.

The strong smell of salt tickled her nostrils and the ground wouldn't stop rocking. As unbelievable as it was, they were floating on a tiny raft in the middle of the ocean.

The others were stirring, and Charity looked around at the confused faces of her friends. All of them and no Shadow Men. So far so good.

Except that they _were_ floating on a tiny raft in the middle of the ocean. Nowhere, in any direction, did she see land, only the sparkling waters of the sea stretching into the horizon for eternity.

_Maybe this is the Game_, Charity thought with a wry smile. Put them on a raft and set them assail so they'd go crazy with one other's company and turn cannibal to survive.

Not much of a Game, but hell – she was only a Player, not a Creator.

"Where are we?" little Halena gasped, her face pale.

"That should be obvious," Kevin muttered and Charity shot him a dark look. She was getting tired of his bitterness. What they needed was a little positivity.

David seemed to realize that too. "But we're alive," he said encouragingly. "When everything went dark, I thought…"

"That we were toast," Kaori supplied calmly. She wasn't as scared now that they were out of immediate danger. Her eyes locked with Charity's and she gave a wry smile. "Apparently they intend to keep us around for a while."

"Not us," David's voice was dark. "Charity. This Game was meant for her."

"Then we're only in the way," Kaori said, biting her pink lips.

"That's what worries me."

"We're expendable," Kevin offered, sounding oddly pleasant.

"Great," muttered Kaori, hugging her knees to her chest, oblivious to the show she was putting on in her short skirt. But the boys had bigger problems on their minds, and not even Ryan was leering.

"Look," Halena said, her voice shaking, but resolved. "We need a plan. We have to get _out_ of here."

"How?" Julie burst. "By using you as an oar?" She had been huddled on the floor of the raft, crying, but now she sat up and her brown eyes flashed with tears. "We're _dead_. Don't you get that? _Dead_. We can't win against them. We're all just _dead_."

_She's hysterical_, Charity realized dimly. Not good. They needed to keep their heads if they had any chance of surviving.

"Hey," she said softly. "We'll get out of this. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you."

"You," Julie snorted, sniffling her runny nose. "What do _you_ suppose we do?" But she was calmer now, and Charity thought she detected a hint of gratitude in her trembling lips.

Charity shrugged. It was a good question. Part of her mind was whirring, plotting. What David said was correct – the Game _had_ been for her, at least originally. Maybe she could bargain with them and get the others out. If she played her cards right, she'd be the only one they'd be interested in.

The thought of being the last one standing and submitting to whatever the Shadow Men wanted, however, brought a rush of sick fear to her stomach. She quickly pushed it aside. Later. Survival was all that mattered now.

"Okay," she said calmly, no trace of a tremor in her voice. "We need to put our heads together. David, you especially. Tell us what you know of them."

He shrugged miserably. "Not much. My dad told me the story, but like I said, he was drunk and when I asked later he told me it was just a plot for one of his books."

"But there must be something…" Charity insisted and David smiled sadly.

"Your mother," he said, holding her gaze. "Julian was in love with her."

_Of course_, Charity thought. Part of her had known, had reacted to him. She looked down at her ring, and rubbed the skin around it fiercely. It made sense. That's why he had helped Jenny in the end.

"He was in love with her," David repeated, looking out at the ocean, which was starting to glow pink and orange in the fading light of sunset. "The Games were for her, to capture and keep her. He wanted to make her love him, but all that happened was he fell more in love with _her_. He did some terrible things to her and her friends – my parents," he added, looking at Julie who was watching with disbelief. "He pretended to _kill_ Aunt Summer. But he ended up helping them escape when the other Shadow Men wanted a piece of them. According to my father, he _died_ doing it, a hero."

Kaori shook her head. "Someone had their story wrong," she said bitterly.

"Who all was there?" Julie asked in a small voice.

"Our parents, Char's parents… Summer of course, and Aunt Dee and Uncle Zach."

"Seven of them," Kevin said in an odd voice with a funny little smile. "Seven of us."

They were silent for a moment, taking it all in.

Charity snapped to attention and pounded her fists against the wood of the raft. "Okay," she said fiercely. "We're in a bad situation with people who want to do horrible things to us, and we don't even know the rules. Fine. But our parents got out of their mess, and damn if we aren't going to get out of ours!"

David and Halena were nodding, but Ryan muttered, "Sure, except that Kadar dude said there was no way we _could_ win," and Julie sighed, clutching her hands so tightly they were white. Kevin's expression didn't change, but by now she was getting used to that.

"What kinds of Games did they play?" Charity asked. She felt sure they could beat this.

"Oh… the first was in a house where they had to face their nightmares."

"Cute," Kaori muttered. Ryan looked at the water apprehensively.

"Then… um, he came to our world, and captured them one by one until your mother found the base and set them free." He smiled at Charity who smiled back, appreciating that.

"And last they were in the Shadow World. He had taken your father and Uncle Zach, and the others went to save them. They found Summer on the way, and all went home happily ever after when Julian sacrificed himself for them."

"One big fairy tale," Kaori muttered.

"Well," Halena said thoughtfully, "maybe Julian will have a soft spot for us if he saved Charity's mother before."

"I doubt it. He doesn't remember anything, right?"

"So he said," Charity said, frowning. The look Julian had given her while they stared at each other, the flash that had lasted only an instant made her wonder. Maybe she reminded him of Jenny. Even if he couldn't remember who Jenny was, his subconscious might soften towards her. If she played him right.

"Okay," Charity said, smiling suddenly. "We'll play their Game, and maybe in time our luck will change."

"Charity." David was looking severe. "What are you planning?"

"Nothing," she insisted, widening her eyes innocently, but that wasn't true. To get them out she would do anything. Even seduce Julian.

If he was seducible, that is. Perhaps being dead for twenty years had made him crabby. Maybe he _had_ grown to hate Jenny in that time, blaming her for his death even if she had only inadvertently caused it. Either way, Charity was going to try.

And hope she didn't fall herself in the process.

"So," she said, changing the subject, "what are we supposed to do here? Are we looking for something?"

"Facing our worst fears," Ryan said and laughed. He looked again at the water, fear glinting in his eyes despite his relaxed manner.

Charity felt a chill. "Okay," she said, realizing that they were all looking to her for an answer. "Is someone's worst fear starvation?"

"Only when there's a Hoho dangling two feet from me and I can't reach it," Kaori said musically, and tossed her dark hair over her shoulders. She sounded unconcerned, but Charity saw her looking at Ryan and wondered.

"Ryan," she said softly, and when he didn't answer, sharply: "Ryan!"

His head snapped up and he looked at her. He was pale.

Something flashed in the water on her right. A fin.

"Oh God," Halena said, deadpan.

"A dolphin," Charity told them, wishing she felt more confident. It had to be.

"Ryan," she tried again, "what's your fear? Drowning?"

"Sure, after I've been bitten in half by a shark," he said, eyes panicked, but physically he was still, so still, as still as children who crouch in their beds at night and hope the closet monster won't get them if they just… don't… move.

"Oh." Kaori's eyes widened with realization and she grabbed his arm. "Ryan's brother was killed by a shark when he was seven," she explained.

"Know what I used to imagine?" Ryan asked dreamily. "When I was swimming in the pool… I wouldn't go in the deep end because I thought sharks were swimming around on the bottom, ready to bite my toes."

"God, Ry!" Kaori gasped, clutching him desperately. She looked at Charity, her eyes wide, but Charity found herself at a loss for words.

"We have no proof…" she started slowly and then broke off as the fin resurfaced and circled their raft.

"That's enough proof for me," Kevin said dryly.

Ryan hummed the Jaws theme and then broke into hysterical laughter. Kaori's efforts to shake him were doing no good, and Charity scanned the horizon desperately, looking for an escape.

She saw a glint of something in the distance, differing from the water. Land.

"Look," she said happily, pointing. "An island! We just have to reach it …"

"Oh, what do you propose we do, swim?" Julie snapped. "Because I don't think we'd get very far with _that_ around." Charity looked at her, heart sinking, for she was right. They were trapped, at least until the big fish lost interest.

The fin disappeared under the water for an instant, and just when they were breathing sighs of relief, their raft was pushed up with a jolt and started to crack down the middle. Julie shrieked and Ryan joined her, but the others were too paralyzed to speak or move.

"We're going to have to swim," Charity said calmly, amazed at how relaxed she sounded. The last thing she needed was to go into shock.

There was no time for any protests, for at that instant, the raft broke apart and all seven were plunged underwater. Charity was surprised at how cold it was. She had never known water to be colder than the moderate 70 degrees her parents kept in their pool, but this was like tiny knives jabbing her skin. She had always assumed the tropics would be… well, tropic, but not this water.

Furiously, Charity kicked her way to the surface and gulped in warm breaths of air when she broke through. Several other heads bobbed nearby. Julie and Halena were clutching floating pieces of the raft and shivering.

"Where's Ryan?" she called, realizing there were only five heads around her.

No one knew.

Charity turned as she treaded water, heart pounding, and spotted him floating ten meters away, crying to himself. "Ryan!" she called, but he didn't hear. He was occupied with the fins that were circling him. Two others had joined the first.

"Come on!" David called and started swimming away.

"Ryan!" Kaori shrieked, but he didn't notice her as he swam in a panicked little circle. One of the fins dipped under water and with a horrible cry, Ryan was pulled under. The water was still for a moment and then clouds of red bubbled up and spread along the surface. Kaori screamed and although Charity felt a tearing inside, she grabbed her friend's arm and started to swim, dragging her along.

"Come on!" she yelled. "There's nothing we can do!" Kaori reluctantly yielded to her tugs and dogpaddled ahead as she sobbed. Despite her protests, Charity began to wonder herself and turned around, scanning for Ryan. Maybe they hadn't hurt him too badly… maybe she could help.

But there was no sign of him, and just as Charity started to swim again, she felt something cold and slimy brush her legs and went still. In front of her, a monstrous head emerged from the water and grinned, showing row upon row of shiny white teeth.

Charity stared at it, feeling the color drain from her face. The shark rushed at her, the gaping hole of its mouth growing larger and larger, and the world mercifully went dark before she could feel its teeth in her skin.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

Charity was staring into eyes. Big, luminous eyes, but unlike the eyes she had seen before, she was not afraid of this pair. She wasn't sure what eyes she was remembering, where she was or what had happened, but she knew with a sudden clear certainty that she was safe.

_Safe_? The thought came to her with a flash of dread. Of course she wasn't safe. She had been kidnapped by a madman and had every reason to be terrified. Gasping, Charity sat up and scooted away, aware of the painful sighs and screams her muscles made as she moved.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded to the person who belonged to those shockingly beautiful eyes.

Julian blinked, startled. She had a feeling he had been leaning over her for some time before she awoke. But she soon saw that although he could be taken off guard, he recovered quickly. His eyes narrowed and he stood in an easy fluid movement, and looked down at her, arms folded and clearly annoyed. "That's gratitude," he said, voice hard. "After all, it's not like I just saved your life."

Charity was breathing heavily and put a hand to her head, feeling how damp it was. When her hair dried naturally it ended up wavy and flyaway, at least until she started moving around. How had it gotten wet? Charity sat there, absently pulling a hand through her mostly dry hair when an image came to her.

Black, cold eyes… rows of white teeth closing in on her… the smell of the sea and the knowledge that death was swiftly gliding towards her… and then darkness.

"Oh my God," Charity whispered, distressed. She looked at Julian. He was watching her, eyes still narrowed, still cold. Waiting.

"The shark," she said numbly. And then: "Ryan."

Julian shrugged. He looked around frowning, as if he'd rather be anywhere in the world than there with her.

Charity was numb. Ryan was dead… probably, unless he had been blessed with mercy like she. But where were the others? And _why_ had Julian saved her?

He anticipated her question. "Kadar told me to do it."

"Why?"

His eyes glittered at her. "Don't you know? You're not supposed to die yet. You're the best prize of all… he's saving you for last."

Great. Charity risked moving again and slowly stood. She didn't look at him as her mind tried to catch up with her body. In distraction, she looked around and saw that it was now night and they were standing under a clear navy sky with millions of stars shining down and the moon hovering big and luminous like a giant pearl. The sound of crashing waves and wind in the background told her they were near the ocean, although at the moment they appeared to be in a primeval forest.

Something was tugging at Charity's mind and she forced herself to look at Julian again. "Why didn't _he_ save me? Kadar."

Julian looked like he thought it was a good question. "I don't know," he admitted. "I suppose he was testing me."

"Why?" Charity knew she was being repetitive but didn't care.

"I _have_ been dead for twenty years," he reminded her. "He wanted to make sure I haven't gotten rusty."

Oh. Charity brushed sand off her clothes. She had meant to be grateful but she'd only managed to piss off her rescuer. Julian sounded _very_ annoyed that he had come back from a twenty year absence. Probably upset about all the people he'd missed out on maiming and killing in that time.

Charity was getting angry. For an instant the thought had flickered through her mind that Julian had saved her because he _wanted _to, but he was only a mindless minion of Kadar after all. Again she told herself that he was as cold-blooded as the others and would never help her unless ordered. She had to kill that tiny bit of hope that wanted to believe in him before it led her wrong. He was a Shadow Man, after all. Why did she have such a hard time remembering that?

"That's okay with you?" she snapped suddenly. "Taking orders from some kid like Kadar?"

"He brought me back," Julian said simply, eyes black in the darkness. "He and the others. That's enough for me."

"_Why didn't they do it twenty years ago_?"

Julian was silent at that and Charity felt a wave of dizziness hit her. _That's it_, she realized. _That's what's been bothering me_. _If they _did_ have true intentions, why didn't they act on them right away_?

"Julian," she said carefully, now that he was listening. "Julian… don't you wonder _why_ you're back? Especially now?"

"No." His smile was dazzling, but Charity could tell she'd unnerved him. Feeling bold, perhaps more than she should have, she pressed on.

"Don't you wonder why they've suddenly decided to forgive you? After saving my mother…"

"_Saving_ your mother?" The look on Julian's face was one of slight amusement, but there was also a deadly flame in his eyes, warning her not to forget herself and say too much.

Charity looked at him closely. "You really don't remember, do you?"

Julian was silent. He didn't look at her. "She killed me," he said simply.

"You're going to take _their_ word for it? A human girl killed a Shadow Man?"

"She was very crafty." A flash of that smile again. "I suppose you think you're following in her footsteps."

Infuriating. He was simply infuriating. She felt a sinking in her stomach as she realized there wasn't a chance in hell she could seduce him at this rate. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her temper.

"All right, we'll play it that way," she said softly and then looked at him sharply. "Where are the others?"

"What others?"

Oh, she was going to slap him. If he didn't start being useful in about ten seconds.

"My friends," she said through clenched teeth. "You know, the six other people I came here with? Them."

"Oh." Julian smiled. "I have no idea."

Charity did slap him then. At least she tried, but quickly discovered that besides having the smile of a snake, Julian also had the reflexes of one. He easily caught her hand inches before his face and held it in a bruising grip. Charity wanted to gasp but wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She stood there gritting her teeth and glaring, willing him to let her go.

He didn't, but his grip loosened slightly as he bent his head over her hand and peered at it, face contorting in confusion.

Charity felt a flash of triumph. He was looking at her ring.

She said nothing as he looked, and let her arm go limp so he was supporting it completely. Breath caught, she waited.

Julian tilted her hand upwards and touched the ring as if he was going to pull it off, but at the last second gently swept his fingers on the skin around it, sending little tingles through her arm. He turned her hand gently, examining the ring from all angles, and then as if he couldn't help himself, his fingers glided down and caressed the back of her hand and then her wrist, pausing at the place where her heartbeat could be felt through the skin.

Charity knew she was turning red, but didn't dare pull away. This moment was too good to waste. She trembled as she opened her mouth, not sure whether she should ruin the silence, but then decided to risk it. He had to listen to her now.

"I am my only master," she said gently, taking great care to keep emotion out of her voice. "You wrote that – remember?"

Julian's head jerked up, but instead of looking cruel, his eyes were filled with uncertainty. For a long moment they simply looked at each other, Charity silent and still, and Julian desperately. His eyes roamed her face, her hair. Every visible bit of her. He let out his breath in a long sigh.

"Your eyes," he said in wonder, tilting his head as if he couldn't believe he was saying it. "I know them."

_Right_, Charity thought. _They're my mother's_. But absurdly she didn't want to say it. She wanted him to think it was she alone he was remembering.

"But your hair, it's all wrong," Julian continued, making a movement as if to touch it, but then dropped his hand and took a step backwards, letting go of her arm so quickly that it bumped against her thigh. Something cleared in his eyes and he glared at her as if she _had_ slapped him. "Who are you?"

Charity didn't know what to say so she simply stared. She made a movement towards him but Julian backed away angrily, looking threatened.

"Witchery," he said, his eyes dark. "You're just like your mother – a temptress."

"Julian!"

He disappeared.

Well, that had gone well.

Charity took a deep breath to calm herself. Her heartbeat was beginning to slow, but she was still shaking despite the warm air that brushed her skin. Getting away from the Shadow World would be harder than she thought.

"Charity!" Voices were calling her. Blinking to make sure her eyes weren't tearing up, Charity turned and immediately had the breath knocked out of her when two pairs of arms wrapped around her.

"Hey… hey…" she said and laughed uneasily, pushing Kaori and Halena away. She tossed her hair over her shoulder, trying to look casual.

They were a mess. The girls were crying, and Kaori had mascara streaks under her eyes. Charity quickly saw why – Ryan was gone.

David stood several feet away, looking very white under the moonlight. "You…" he started and then shook his head when his voice faltered. "I thought we'd lost you. _Never_ do that to me again."

"I'm okay, Davy," she said and smiled, but didn't tell him why. She wanted to forget her encounter with Julian, and certainly didn't want to worry the others. She didn't mention Ryan, and neither did anyone else. They all knew.

"_How_ did you escape?" David asked, his voice hoarse. He stepped forward and she gave him her hand to clutch between his. He was shaking.

"Really," Halena said, shaking her head. "We saw you with the shark, and I screamed your name, but then a big wave came and surrounded you and when it went down you were both gone."

Charity pulled David to her for a quick hug and then stepped away. She kept her eyes on the ground, wondering if she should tell them, wondering if she had the _right_. In her mind, the encounter she'd had was private, for her and Julian alone.

"Charity?" Halena was frowning at her and she sighed, making her decision.

"Julian."

"What?"

"Julian. He saved me."

"No." David's forehead creased into a frown. "I don't believe it."

She scowled. "Not because of any affection for me. Kadar's orders. Apparently I'm the grand finale and have to stick around for a while."

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad you're safe," Halena said smiling, but David was still suspicious.

"Let's just hope he stays away from now on. I don't trust him."

"Of course _you_ wouldn't," Charity said impatiently. "But I talked to him, David. I know… I know he's one of them and evil, but for a moment anyway I think he was really listening to me. If I could call him to us and talk to him alone again …"

"No, no!" David said, flushing, and when she opened her mouth to protest, continued: "No, Charity. I know you think you can convince anyone to do what you want, anytime, anywhere, but this is out of your hands. You don't have charm enough to deal with creatures like him."

"You don't know that," Charity said stubbornly, narrowing her eyes. The joy she felt at seeing him moments before was fading away. Now was not the time she needed him to be playing her big brother. What she really meant was: you don't know_ him_. But did _she_? David was probably right – that's why she was so furious with him. She knew she was playing with fire, but had to try for the sake of them all.

She fingered her ring and closed her eyes, remembering his touch. She was sure she had seen something in his eyes then, not just the distant flicker of memory for her mother. Or was she fooling herself to think that Julian would ever see _her_ instead of beautiful, golden Jenny? Either way, the Game had changed for her in that moment. It was no longer only about finding her friends a way out.

She wanted to save him, too.

Charity opened her eyes and forced a smile. "So," she said, "has anyone got a plan?"

0 0 0

The time for crying had long passed. Jenny, Audrey and Michael stared at the screen, glassy-eyed and silent. Tom was turned away, having a dark, muttered conversation with the wall, and Dee was glaring at the carpet, cracking her knuckles and punching the air in front of her every so often.

"Cowards," she said darkly. "Bastards. They don't have the courage to come after us, so they pick on children."

"They can't," Michael reminded her weakly. "Julian made sure of that."

Jenny began rocking and trembled. "I'd die for her," she whispered. Dee glanced over, her face softening with emotion.

"We all would, tiger, but they haven't given us that option yet."

"Would you like it?" A wave of energy trembled in the air and Kadar returned. He was smiling.

"You…" Dee stood, her muscles quivering with the effort it took not leap on him. "How dare you stand before us, taunting us. Don't you know what you're doing to her?" She made a gesture towards Jenny, who was in such a bad state that she barely glanced at him.

"Yes." Kadar's voice was very pleasant. "That _is_ the plan. Suffering, pain, broken hearts. My elders are no longer interested in your physical pain, but rather causing you mental anguish, which, I have heard, can be quite a bit more substantial."

Jenny whimpered, and Audrey stood, her lips white. "You have no idea," she said softly. "You killed that boy, and you feel _nothing_."

"Yes, well, that's the problem with you humans. You _feel_. What's one life lost in the greater scheme of the world? None besides yourselves will be affected. You all think any bit of personal discomfort is enough to make the stars burn out. We Shadow Men are something more special. Would you like a demonstration?"

Before any of them could say a word, he waved his hand and they were trapped in the air, held by invisible cords. All except Jenny who rose to her feet and floated towards him, much to her obvious surprise.

Dee struggled against her cords, murder in her eyes as she lunged. "You touch her and I kill you!" she yelled, but was ignored. Tom also watched with narrowed eyes, but said nothing. From past experience, he knew action was useless.

Jenny shook as she came to a stop before him, but managed to conjure her old steel backbone and forced herself to look him in the eyes without flinching. He was very close to her, golden eyes narrowed and a smile playing at the corners of his lips. When he lifted a hand to touch her cheek, she ordered herself to stay silent. But when his skin met hers, it was out of her power to do anything but gasp and jerk away.

Because his hand was cold as ice. Jenny tried to move but he easily caught her around the waist and brought his lips to her forehead. Icy shivers shook her body.

"Please… no…" Jenny was cold, colder than she ever remembered being, save the time she almost drowned in the cave in the Shadow World. Mercifully, he let her go and Jenny took several steps away from him, arms around herself and shivering. Her teeth chattered when she looked at him, and she couldn't form the words she wanted to say.

"You felt that?" he asked softly. "I didn't."

Audrey was entranced despite herself. "What do you mean?" she demanded. Kadar waved his hands and released them, and Dee put her arms around Jenny, trying to warm her. Kadar smiled, a small and mostly sane smile.

"The lady said it herself. I feel nothing. It's one of the marks of a Shadow Man. Darkness and shadows have no feeling. This flesh is numb, because it is only a house for my true form and the horrors within."

Jenny stopped shaking in Dee's embrace and turned to Kadar, her eyes widening. Was he saying that the Shadow Men had not the luxury of touch and sensation? But that didn't make sense… when she had touched Julian, when she had kissed him, he had been affected. She_ knew_ he had, and it was not simple vanity. He could feel her, and more to the point, his skin hadn't been cold. Cool, sure, but not frozen The look in his eyes when he saw her… Julian was something warm and alive.

_A trick_, she thought automatically. But of course, Kadar gained nothing by telling them this…

"Figured it out yet?" he asked pleasantly.

"We don't care," Tom told him, coming over to take his wife's hands and rubbing them between his own. His face was stern, like when he was making a particularly difficult negotiation at work.

"Oh, I think you do," he said with a glint of white teeth. "You see, there are two kinds of Shadow Men. Those that are born, and those that are made."

He gestured towards the screen where the kids were grouped together talking, safe for the moment. But there was a spark in the darkness… someone watching from the bushes. Jenny moved closer to Tom, trembling. No… the poor kids had enough to deal with. She didn't want them to face more hardship. The invisible cameraman started to close up on the shape in the bushes, and the adults in the room froze wide-eyed as Kadar laughed.

The figure grew closer until they could see him fully. No one moved. They were in denial. Then Audrey gasped and the others started fidgeting, for the person in the bushes was one they had presumed to be dead.

Ryan. Only not Ryan. This Ryan had pale, glowing skin, white as a vampire. His golden hair shone under the moonlight, and his eyes gleamed brighter than ever. He was a different version of himself. One instantly more cruel and beautiful than the good-natured Ryan could ever have been. His lips curved into a smile as he watched his ex-friends. And his eyes were hungry.

"Shit," Dee said, her skin glistening.

"Do you get it now?" Kadar asked happily.

_Julian_, Jenny thought, chilled. Then she fainted.


	11. Chapter Eleven

This chapter is... um, weird. The next is stranger still. I think I must have written it on extreme lack of sleep. You have been forewarned. In any case, if anyone is wondering why Charity and her friends act the way they do - let's just call it a nice dose of mind control. Unlike Julian, Kadar does _not _practice Gamemanship. Anything is fair game.

Happy holidays to all! Have a great rest of the year no matter what you do (as long as its not sacrificing virgins, because that's just creepy). ;)

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Seeing no immediate solution to their situation, the group decided to lay down and wait the night out in sleep. Kevin volunteered to be the first guard, but since his eyes had been glassy and faded since the ordeal with the shark, Charity found herself unable to trust him with her life and lay awake, her eyes fixed on the shivering fire that danced on the beach before her. David hadn't lost his skills as a boy scout, and was able to give them orders to find dry brush to burn while he set to work with stones he'd found.

The fire was like a ray of hope in their eyes, something alive and familiar, and although it had the potential of being deadly, now it warmed and comforted. Charity watched the golden flames lick the edges of the wood and was entranced. When she focused, her mind blurred at the edges and she was able to escape the despair that gnawed her insides. Even a few moments rest was paradise in her mind.

Besides the crackling of the fire, the night was strangely silent. Charity lifted her head. Kaori had stopped crying and was nestled into Halena's sisterly embrace, tear stains drying on her cheeks as she slept. David was curled into the fetal position next to his sister, who, Charity saw, was also awake and watching the fire, her eyes bleak. Kevin sat lotus style a little ways from the group, leaning back on his hands and staring into the darkness.

Charity sat up slowly. She didn't know how the others could sleep. Of course, they weren't burdened by the role of leader, but Charity couldn't close her eyes for a minute without fear that something awful would happen to them.

The place was eerie and so unnatural. The stars gleamed in the night sky too distant and cold, and the moon watched like a giant eye. There were no animal noises – this, Charity realized with a start, was what had been bothering her. No chirping of anxious birds greeting the night, no hum of insects. No rustle in the woods of curious locals come to check out the newcomers. It was like they were alone on a distant star, as far from life as possible.

"Of course, it's not real," she reminded herself, frowning. "Why should there be animals?"

"Did you say something?" Kevin's head bent backwards, looking at her.

She shook her head. "No. Sorry."

He shrugged. "Don't be."

And that was it.

Charity gritted her teeth, annoyed and slightly hurt. Granted the date had gone horribly wrong, but during the entire night Kevin had not shown the slightest interest in her as a female. She shivered, feeling very alone, and then with her old stubbornness and determination she stood and walked over to him, feet digging in the cool sand.

He looked at her in surprise as she dropped to her knees beside him. "Charity…" he started but barely got out her name before she kissed him.

She knew it was a bold move, something she wouldn't try under normal circumstances, but tonight, under this strange moonlight with imminent doom hanging over their heads, Charity didn't care. She figured they were all going to die, no matter how long the Shadow Men dragged the Game out, and this might well be the only chance she would have to tell Kevin how she felt.

Show him, rather. Charity kissed him, one hand on his shoulder, the other on the back of his head, pulling him towards her. She kissed him fiercely, a little desperately, and was shaken when within seconds he pushed her away. Charity looked at his hands on her shoulders in shock, and for a moment there was silence between them, before Charity felt her desperation wrench inside her.

"So that's it, then?" she said, more nastily than she intended. She wanted to jerk away, throw his hands off her and run, but couldn't conjure the effort.

Kevin stared at her, his expression perfectly blank. They eyed each other for a few seconds before he closed his eyes and shook his head.

"You don't want to do this," he said, which of course enraged her.

"I think I can tell the difference between what I want and do not want to do," she said, glaring at him. In that moment she hated him, hated those blank, emotionless eyes, hated that dark hair that was falling over his forehead in a way she once thought charming but now found repulsive.

"Okay," he agreed, with a small nod. "_I_ don't want to do this. Not now."

Charity's insides were blazing. "If this is about Julie…"

"Julie?" For a moment Kevin looked genuinely puzzled and then he smiled. "She means nothing to me."

"Then you hate me?" Charity knew this wasn't true, but couldn't help the words. He didn't know her well enough to hate her.

"Of course not," he snapped, and then sighed. "No, listen… it's not me you want. Well, maybe it is or was, but not like this. Trust me. You're messed up because of everything that's been happening and you want someone to take your mind away from what's going on. But I am not the person for you, Charity. You need to keep a level head and stay alert. This isn't going to help either of us."

"Whatever, doc," Charity muttered, but not as angrily. She knew he was right: the same thoughts were going through her mind. Although in the happy days of yesterday she had wanted to be with Kevin, that Charity was light years away and this new one only wanted to be comforted and forget, not caring who she was with so long as kissing him took her far away. She could have substituted Ryan for Kevin easily, and since David was off limits, Kevin was the only one who fit her needs.

She edged away, and his arms fell into his lap. She couldn't look at him, knowing she had been a fool, but at the same time wouldn't apologize. She didn't speak.

"You should get some sleep," he suggested gently, and she nodded.

"Yeah." She stood. "I guess so." Kevin smiled a little and turned away, and Charity stood for a second watching him, her face burning. What an idiot she was. But he had forgiven her, and honestly she had bigger things to worry about.

She turned and was walking back to the fire when she heard the laugh and froze. A high-pitched giggle, like something a little girl with a secret would make. She stopped and listened, muscles frozen in horror as the sound continued softly and somewhere from the woods. She stood listening long after the sound died until Kevin looked back at her, his face scrunched in confusion.

"Something wrong?"

"That laugh," she said, feeling a little silly. "Didn't you hear it?" How could he not, when the sound sent shivers down her spine?

"Laugh?" He was looking at her fully now, worried. Charity stared at him very still, and then lowered her eyes and shook her head softly.

"Never mind."

"Get some rest." Once again, Kevin Blackson turned from her, and Charity made her way to the fire on shaky legs and collapsed in the white sand. She dug her fists into the ground and sat, listening for another few minutes to the silence that dominated the area. She spent the rest of the time before falling asleep staring into the dark forest beyond the rim of the firestones.

Something was out there. Only question was when they were going to meet it.

0 0 0

It was several hours later when Charity woke and knew she was being watched. An instinctive fear washed over her and she lay still, breathing as little as possible. _So this is what the mouse feels like before the cat pounces_, she thought in an odd, abstracted way. Her body tensed, ready to move at the first hint of danger.

She heard whispering in the wind… the presence was behind her. The hair rose on the back of her neck, and she had to fight the urge to shiver. It was coming closer, creeping now, slithering. She moved her hands slowly in position to thrust herself to her feet, but found herself frozen in the cool sand.

A low roar was going in and out of the campsite, louder and louder as the wind carried it. The dying embers suddenly burst into flame, and she squeezed her eyes shut knowing she was alone.

When the hand touched her shoulder she screamed.

0 0 0

"Charity! Charity? Honey, it's just us."

Charity sat up shivering and blinked. The dream dissolved and she saw David in front of her. "It's okay," he said, hugging her. "I'm here."

Charity's teeth chattered and she let him hold her for a few seconds before ducking out of his embrace. She couldn't let the others see her as weak.

"Charity?" David looked surprised.

"A dream," she said with a tight-lipped smile. "Nothing more." But was it? Everything moments ago had felt as real as now… if now could be called real. The feeling of being alone, knowing she was being hunted… waiting for teeth to rip into her skin…

She shivered and straightened, looking around. Only then did she notice her surroundings.

"Hey… where the hell are we?"

They were no longer on a quiet island beach but in the middle of a desert. Several yards away, Kevin was poking a cactus, a thoughtful look on his face. The sun was bright and beating down on them. Charity felt beads of sweat form on her forehead and anxiously wiped them away.

"What is this, bizarro world Survivor?" she muttered angrily, and in the course of such strong emotion, started to feel better.

"So what are we supposed to do now?" she asked, looking at David.

He shrugged. "Figure out whose nightmare this is. Then maybe we have a chance. But no one's talking."

Charity looked around: she saw what he meant. Kaori was sitting huddled on the ground, knees pulled up to her chin, and there was a hollow look in her eyes. Julie had stopped crying finally, but she was shivering despite the heat and kept looking around as if expecting to see jabberwocks rising from the ground.

Halena stood with them, shaking her head. "I don't see what they're planning to do unless it's having us collapse with dehydration, and then watch as vultures eat our livers like Prometheus…"

"Quiet," David hissed. "You'll give them ideas."

"I don't see how anything _I _say could possibly make things worse. We're in a bad enough situation as it is." She was irritated with him. Charity bit her lip. They were falling apart, even calm, composed Halena.

She took a deep breath. "We need to think. Everyone needs to stick together if we're going to get through this. What's the first thing we need?"

Kevin unexpectedly raised his hand. "Water," he said matter-of-factly. "We won't get far without it."

"Water, yes." Charity nodded and stepped towards the two girls on the ground who were leaning against each other. She held out her hand. "Come on, pull yourselves together. Yes, things are tough right now, but we'll get through it. Come on, Kor, what would your mother say if she saw you falling to pieces like this?"

The chide worked. Kaori lifted her head and stared at Charity. "Falling to pieces?" she echoed. "Me? Ha! I've got more style than the rest of you put together!"

She sniffled and stood, pulling Julie to her feet as well. When she was ready, she turned to Charity with a sigh. "Where to, captain?"

They spent the next few minutes battling with the cactus, which, despite their efforts, didn't want to be pulled apart. Kevin originally tried to find a place to grab onto it, but he ended up with a fist full of prickles, complaining that the cactus had shot them at him. None of them believed him until David found an old, sun-bleached bone (no one wanted to think too deeply about what it was from) and tried to punch a hole in it. The cactus, not liking this at all, started dodging out of harm's way, until they were forced to give up.

David tossed the bone aside. "Now what?" he demanded, glaring at the cactus which had gone still again. Charity bit her lip.

It was Halena who spotted the trees in the distance. "An oasis!" she cried ecstatically and started to run. _How does she know?_ Charity wondered, before realizing that it was extremely clear. Of course it was an oasis. The place radiated oasis. It was their salvation.

A tiny part of her wondered why the Shadow Men would give them an oasis, but only a tiny part. She was so thirsty that doubts didn't matter.

The lush green in the distance gave new life to the teens as they ran, each envisioning their own ideas of heaven. Water. Fruit. Shade. Cool greens to lay on. Paradise.

They were there in several steps. Charity fell to her knees by the leafy bank and dug her hands greedily into the crystal waters that glimmered in the sun. She lifted her hands to her lips and drank thirstily. Again. And again. Nothing had ever tasted so good. Nothing had ever given her such relief. Everything was going to be okay now. They were there. They never had to leave.

They were all on their knees, drinking from their hands, splashing water on their faces. David jumped in the pond and lifted his fists in the air with a whoop of delight. Wonderful.

Hands touched her back. Rubbing. Massaging. Hands wondrously cool, and smooth as newborn skin. Sliding under her shirt, caressing. Charity leaned back and closed her eyes, allowing herself to relax.

"This is the stuff," she heard David say and opened her eyes to smile in agreement. He was out of the water now and three women surrounded him. Three impossibly, beautiful women in thongs and nothing else. One had golden skin, slick with lotion, and olive colored almond eyes, while the others were typical California beach bunnies, radiating light.

Julie and Halena were with men like Grecian sculptures come to life.. They had very beautiful eyes, those boys, especially the ones with eyes like the deep blue waters of the ocean after a hurricane, and the other with eyes that glinted gold, as bright as the sun. This one was kissing Julie's neck and she giggled, a very un-Julie-like sound. Kevin was with no one but he stood dancing, arms raised above his head without any cares. Dancing to a beat that surrounded them all.

Kaori, however, was sitting by the pond, very still. One of the men moved towards her, but she backed away, shaking her head uneasily. Afraid. Too bad, really. Probably still sad about her boyfriend. Why not forget him, though, and have fun with the rest? Her loss if she chose not to.

Charity scooted closer to the group at her massager's insistence. She turned and kissed him, tasting cotton candy, tasting cherries. Her arms slid against his chest, resting lightly. His arms were around her shoulders, pulling her close. Kiss. Shame Kaori was missing this…

Kevin dropped to his knees in David's entourage. He kissed one of the sirens. He kissed David. They kissed each other. Over the low pound of the beat was the sound of Julie and Halena giggling. No thoughts, just free feeling.

Kaori stood, breathing heavily. Scared. _Why?_ Charity wondered. _This is wonderful_. _Isn't this what we've wanted all our lives_?

_Not she_, said the voice in Charity's ears. _She's not like us. Moves to the beat of her own drums. Never satisfied. Never enough._

That was true. Wasn't it?

_We don't need her,_ said the voice and Charity silently agreed. Kaori was no friend of hers. Never had been. She was always selfish, doing what she wanted, ignoring people unless she could get something out of them. Kaori with her flashing eyes and harsh laughter. Kaori the queen of the drama department, the star. The one they all wanted to know. No friend of hers.

Charity tilted her head back as the lips trailed to her neck. She let herself relax, completely resting her weight in his arms. _Will you do something for me?_ he asked.

_Yes. Anything_, _to make this never stop_…

"What?" she murmured.

_Kill her._

Charity lifted her head and looked into his chocolate eyes. She smiled.

"Anything for you," she said.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

_Anything for you_.

The words were said; they could not be undone. Charity lifted her head and looked at the others, finding them all sitting rather lazily, watching her with eyes that glittered. Their partners whispered to them. They smiled.

Charity nodded to David and he stood. "Kaori," he said in a dreamy voice. "Come here."

Kaori was very still. Her hands dug into the ground beside her, clutching with white knuckles. "David…" she started warningly, but broke off, watching Julie and Halena crawl towards her, their eyes alight, and their mouths touched with the bitterest of smiles.

"Charity." Kaori was looking at her now, pleading. Eyes wide. "Charity what's going on? What's wrong with you all?"

"Be still, Kaori," Charity said softly, gracefully taking a stand. "Be still and it won't hurt as much."

"_What won't hurt as much_!?"

"It's okay, Kaori," Halena purred, her head tilted to the side like a seductive cat. "We'll make it quick. We like you that much."

"You guys." Kaori was on her feet now, backing away and shaking. "You guys, listen. You don't know what you're saying. It's _them_. They've done something to you."

"No, Kaori," David said as he neared her. "They've only made it clear what we have to do. What we've wanted to do all along. You understand, right?"

He reached out a hand and Kaori, although her eyes were wide with fright, took it with trembling fingers. David smiled at her, his fingers massaging her palm and wrist. In one smooth movement he pulled her to him and she collapsed against his chest sobbing.

"Good girl, Kaori." He kissed the top of her head and patted her back. Charity moved closer, her lips lifted in a smirk. She couldn't wait for the surprise.

"David." Kaori was trembling still. "David, please… what are you doing?"

He walked forward with her in his arms, while Halena and Julie crouched at his feet. Kevin sat several feet away, shaking with silent laughter. A very tan man and the girl with the olive eyes had their arms around him.

"David." Kaori was frightened.

"It's alright, Kaori, it's alright. It's for the best. It's for them."

"_What_ is for them? David!"

"Good girl, Kaori," he said, patting her shoulder and bent for a small kiss on her forehead. "Good girl."

"_David_?!"

Charity shivered with anticipation. It would be happening soon. All for him. She knew it would please him. He'd want her with him for always after this.

She watched Kaori in David's grasp, shivering and pleading as he laughed and kissed her. Charity noticed one of the other men moving towards her and smiled. She turned slowly, and was briefly presented with a tall figure before she was encircled in his arms and pressed against the hard muscles of his chest.

"You want to share?" she asked, snuggling against him. "There's always room for more."

_Charity_. The voice was in her head, nervous, insistent. _Charity, remember yourself. This isn't you._

What did he mean? Of course she was herself, more herself than she'd ever been. She wanted to tell him, but couldn't. His body felt too good next to hers, his skin so warm. This was no time for talk.

_Charity, she is your friend_, he insisted. _You can stop them._

"I already belong to someone," she said, jerking away. "I don't have to take orders from you." She saw Kaori in the circle of her friends, crying, and smiled. "I know what I have to do."

She made a movement to turn away, but he caught her again and pulled her back to him. His hand moved to her chin, tilting it upwards, and for the first time Charity looked him full in the face. She glared at first, angry at him for stopping her, but the longer she looked, the more calm she felt and stared at him, feeling as if she had woken from a dream. The face was none she knew, or the golden skin, but those _eyes_… those eyes were strikingly familiar.

_Charity, believe me,_ he said and she sucked in her breath, feeling reality crash back into her.

Julian. She mouthed his name soundlessly, backing away in horror. _Julian_.

_Oh God, what have I done_?

She turned quickly, watching the scene near the edge of the water, and started towards them, her heart fluttering with the beginning of panic.

"No!" she screamed as David pushed Kaori in the water and the rest of her friends leapt forward to hold her under. The sound of Kaori's screams filled the air, gurgled as she choked in the moments she was able to catch a breath.

"Kaori!" Charity ran and fell to her knees on the water's edge, grabbing Halena's shoulders and pulling backwards with all her strength. "No, stop it! Stop it! _Kaori_!"

Halena released Kaori and turned to Charity, her eyes flashing anger. "You know what needs to be done," she said and swung her tiny fist, but Charity caught it and pushed her backwards into the water. Halena landed with a splash and Charity dove forward, desperate to find Kaori and pull her up. David and Julie were still holding her under, but Charity managed to grip her under the arms, and with strength she didn't know she had, pulled her friend up so she was able to suck in another gasp of air and look at her with frightened eyes before she was pushed under the surface again.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Charity screamed, clawing at Julie's hands with her nails, hoping to make her let go, but Halena popped out of the water and grabbed her hair. Kevin stepped into the pool, and Charity was only able to let out a small scream, and "Kaori!" one last time before she too was pushed under and held.

Her lungs burned within seconds. With all the screaming she hadn't taken a decent breath in minutes. The water was cool but warmer than the ocean or average lake. Charity saw through the crystal blue of the surface to the twisted, swimming faces of her friends holding her under.

She groped blindly beside her until she found Kaori's hand and held it tightly. Maybe if they worked together and used enough strength they could come up long enough for another breath. She turned her head and looked at her friend and was surprised to see the dark head turned her way. She tried to communicate with her eyes what she wanted to do, but Kaori's own were unfocused. Her hand in Charity's was too limp, her skin too pale.

_No_…

One last look of those brown eyes and the hand in hers was completely still. Charity screamed, the last of her breath escaping her mouth in bubbles.

_Kaori_….

Her mind flashed back images of the two of them goofing off through the years. Elementary school slumber parties, making trouble at the mall, those horrendous double dates Kaori thought were so much fun…

Kaori. Gone.

_No_!

Charity tried to yank the body towards her, but Kaori's hand slid from her grasp. One second she was there, and then she wasn't. All above her went still and Charity fought her way to the surface, gasping. Kaori. Gone.

The horror froze her mind, and for the second time in her life, Charity fainted.

0 0 0

Charity's cheeks were wet when she came back to consciousness. Rather than open her eyes, Charity squeezed them tightly and clung to the darkness while she shook with sobs. She hadn't been able to save Kaori. She had failed.

"Ah," said an amused voice. "Once again I have you wet and in my arms. Don't you love the ways of the world?"

Charity opened her eyes and looked up to see Julian leaning over her. She sucked in a shivery gasp and was about to speak when she realized it wasn't him – even in her current state she could tell. He had done a good job with the disguise, but the gold of his eyes gave him away.

"Why didn't you just let me die?" Charity moaned as her eyes refilled with tears and her head rolled to the side so she didn't have to look at him. The air shimmered and when she next looked, Kadar had resumed his usual form.

"Now where's the fun in that?" he asked sincerely. "I told you – no sense losing our prey so early in the game."

"But Kaori!" Charity gasped. "She never did anything to you. She was my friend."

"And you killed her. Yes, I know. Strange the effect anguish has on the mind, mingled with guilt, don't you think?"

"No." Charity's mind was numb. She couldn't accept it. She wouldn't. Ryan's death hadn't hit her as hard because in the fury of survival it hadn't had a chance to sink in, but she and Kaori had been friends since elementary school, and the loss of a lifelong friend was too much to bear.

Charity sat up as Kadar continued making cooing sounds, his grin growing wider with each one. After his seventh "Poor baby," Charity's misery broke and she lunged at him in a fury greater than she had ever felt.

"You monster!" she screamed, pounding him with fists and nails, and it was nearly a minute before she realized she was only hitting the air around him, and Kadar was sitting there, laughing as pleasantly as before.

She moaned, arms falling to her sides in defeat. "You couldn't even do it clean. You had to make us suffer in body _and_ mind before you were satisfied."

"Well, that is the plan." Kadar was sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, beaming like a school girl. She hated him.

"And you had to bring Julian into it to make sure I suffered the most when I couldn't save her." That was painful, that memory, especially knowing that Julian had been a part of it, although she didn't know why she was surprised because she'd had plenty of opportunities to realize he was evil.

"Julian?" For a moment Kadar looked genuinely puzzled. "What are you talking about? Has all that water leaked into your brain?"

Charity stared at him, confusion covering up some of the pain. "Julian. He told me to save Kaori. He broke the spell."

"Did he?" Kadar was positively delighted by this news. "Well… no doubt he only wanted to watch you squirm."

Charity looked at the ground. He had succeeded. The suffering hadn't eased since she'd woken.

"That's what I don't understand about you humans," Kadar said, studying her face and rocking back and forth. "Pain. What it means. Why you experience it. How it feels."

The ice was growing in Charity's chest. "You want to know how it feels?" she yelled, her voice growing hoarse. "Come out from behind your shield and I'll let you know!"

"I'm not talking about the pain of the skin, of the nerves," he said calmly, "but that of the heart."

Charity had no more tears to shed and her eyes burned in lack of them. "But why Kaori? Why Ryan? Neither of them deserved this."

"I'll let you choose the next victim if it will make you feel better," he offered helpfully, but Charity looked at him in shock.

"No! How can you even ask me such a thing?"

Kadar was already bored with the conversation and shrugged, his mind onto something else. "So Julian broke our mind control, did he? We thought you were just a little puppy who was too headstrong to be overcome, but I guess even bitches such as yourself need help now and then, huh?"

Charity said nothing. Wisely, she felt, for it was better not to provoke him. Besides, she was too miserable to find her old fighting spirit. Instead she said, "Please, I don't do this, but I am begging you. Let the others go and you can do what you want with me. What harm can that do?"

"Only lose me and my elders hours of valuable enjoyment. Honestly, Char, you should know better. I'm surprised at you."

"Then let me go back to them. They need me."

Kadar lost his smile, but something in his eyes gleamed beyond the gold, something cold and steady. "Oh, they need you, Charity, so many people do. You don't know how lucky you are."

Charity lifted an eyebrow, impatient and scared. "What do you mean?"

"I wonder what you humans see in each other. I find you a dreary little lot myself, but there must be something there."

"You want me to answer that? What do you want me to say?"

A faint smile touched Kadar's lips, but there was no warmth in it. "I wonder what it feels like to long for something… to hunger for a person. For their touch…"

"Stop it." Charity's heart rate picked up, and although her instinct was to move away as he leaned towards her, she forced herself to sit straight and still despite the pounding in her chest.

"You think I didn't see you with him." There it was. That glimmer in his eyes again, and that small, sarcastic smile. "But I did. This is my Game, and my rules. I see everything."

"What are you _talking_ about?"

"I saw him touch you." Charity couldn't help recoiling as he reached a hand towards her cheek. He stopped, centimeters away, hovering just below her chin. "I watched him feel you. It did something to him. Why?"

"How should I know?" The rhythm of her heartbeat shook her chest, and she fought back a tremble as Kadar's cold fingers lingered in the air before her skin. "Why don't you ask him if you're so interested?"

Kadar blinked and lowered his hand. Then he smiled. "I think, rather my dear, it is _you_ who is interested. It burns you inside trying to figure out if he's your savior or damnation, a white knight or a demon in angel's skin."

Charity couldn't hold back the shiver this time, knowing he was right. Who _was_ Julian, and what were his feelings for her? Much as she tried to tell herself she should hate him as the others did, there was something about him, something in his eyes perhaps that begged her to trust him. Whether he knew it or not, she felt he was reaching for her and that if they tried they could save each other.

But was that just a childish fantasy? She was only a girl in this strange world – what did she know about that kind of Game?

"He mustn't know of the special interest I've taken in him," Kadar said, smiling brilliantly. "No, I think it's better that he be left in the dark from all my plans."

Charity stared at him. The Shadow Men _were_ plotting against Julian as much as she and her mother – but how could she get him to see that?

Kadar watched her, eyes hooded. "I know what you're thinking," he said in a sing-song tone. "I can see it in your eyes. Maybe there's something of your mother in you after all."

Charity's breath caught. "What do you mean?"

"You and your visions of heroism and goodness. You think you can save him."

"Who says I can't?"

"My dear, I admire your aspiration, but you are an amateur compared to us. We've been hunting your kind since your ancestors first crept into caves and made fire. What makes you think you could even begin to enchant him when you are everything he was born to hate?"

"Because I _am_ like my mother," she said quietly. "You said it yourself. I _will_ get him to listen to me."

"By all means." Kadar's eyes lit up as he regarded her. "Keep pushing him, make him remember. Maybe you'll get him to trust you, to love you."

Charity was suspicious of his pleasant tone, not understanding why he considered that a _good_ thing. Another trick? He anticipated her thoughts and grinned.

"Oh yes, girl. It is all the better for us that you look so much like your mother. Every time he looks at you he'll feel a tearing inside and a flutter of something he can't remember. He'll want to touch that creamy skin, but hate himself for it, believing he can't desire the girl whose mother brought him his demise. Julian will be forever at war with himself as long as you're around, and we will feed him just enough to keep his mistrust of you alive, at odds with his feelings for the Jenny he recognizes in you. We can torture him without ever laying a finger on him." He laughed, long and coldly.

Charity felt sick. So this was the plan, to not only use her to hurt her mother but Julian as well. That's why they wouldn't let her die, as much as it would make Jenny suffer, because they needed her alive to tease Julian.

"So you see," Kadar continued, "I give you the green light to keep working on him. Go ahead. Hurt him if you think it will save you. I insist."

Charity couldn't think of what to say. So making friends with Julian would get her nowhere if it made Kadar happy. But then what _could_ she do?

"I'll tell you what," Kadar said, leaping up with sparkling eyes. "I'll call him to you. No, no – it is my pleasure. Someone needs to escort you back to your dear, lost friends. They'll need someone to comfort them now that they have murder on their hands."

The memory was a knife in her stomach and she glared at Kadar, trying to conceal the hurt in her eyes. "It was her worst fear, you know," he continued.

"That we'd drown her?"

"That her friends would betray her. Oh, and they did." Charity gasped at those words and bit her tongue. _Don't rise to him. Don't let him see how much he's hurting you_…

"Oh, Julian!" Kadar called in a happy voice. "I have a job for you!" His golden eyes lowered to hers and with a swift wink he blew her a kiss. "Until next time, my dear."

And then he was gone.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**ChapterThirteen**

Charity shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. It took her a few minutes to regain control, but with her steadfast determination, she wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand and forced herself to stand. With Kadar out of the way, she was able to take in her surroundings. She was in a small room with black walls and a single light bulb swinging from the ceiling, swaying with an uncertain wind that swept along the walls and ceiling. Perfect for an interrogation.

She waited, half expecting Julian to appear, both wanting and dreading the encounter, but after another minute standing alone, she bit her lip and started towards the door. Kadar had issued a challenge to her, even though he hadn't put it in words. He expected her to fall apart – he had witnessed the beginnings of it a few minutes ago. But Charity felt her insides calm and harden as she held onto the one thought that was cold enough to get her through the Game: her hatred of the Shadow Men.

She had lost two friends. Maybe she would lose more before they were through. The sooner she accepted that, the sooner she'd be able to strategize a way out. The time for mourning would come, but not now.

First, she had to find her friends. She hesitated before touching the doorknob. Her mind flashed images of various monsters from horror movies she'd seen, with deadly swamps and jungles to consume her, but the door opened up to another room, this one large and ornate - a ballroom of a castle.

Charity walked forward cautiously, trying to create as little noise as possible. Each step echoed in the room, a thousand times magnified in the emptiness. Chandeliers lit the space from the ceiling, casting wavering candlelight into the room. The walls were gilded with gold and painted pastoral scenes in brilliant colors, all shining like new despite the antiquated designs.

Along one wall, the only one that wasn't covered in floor-length mirrors, were several dozen chairs of the darkest wood. And on the opposite side of the room was a platform on which an orchestra (she guessed) would play. But now all was silent except for the sound of her breath disturbing the air.

Her eyes scanned the room, searching for an exit, but when she saw none, she turned back to the door with a sigh. Only it had vanished and she saw her puzzled reflection in a mirror that hung in its place. Her reflection – but it couldn't be her. She had never looked like _that_.

The girl she saw reflected was wearing a dress of deep green silk with silver ties on the bodice and little threads running through the skirt that fell in folds from her waist, making it sparkle and shine. The dress was floor length and off the shoulder, with straps only a few inches thick hugging her upper arms. At her throat was a choker of black velvet, held together with a clasp that suspiciously looked like diamonds. Her hair was swept up in a twist at the top of her head, with several soft tendrils falling out in curls. Overall, she looked very lovely, like she had stepped out of the pages of a nineteenth century gothic novel.

Charity took this all in within a span of seconds, and then blinking, she looked down at herself to find that the reflection was true. Impossibly, magically so. She brought a hand to her skirt in confusion and felt the fabric there. Finally convinced that it wasn't a hallucination, she looked up and gasped.

Standing behind her, looking at her reflection in the mirror, was Julian. She spun around, the shock vibrating in the pulse in her throat. For a moment, she could do nothing but stare. Kadar's words rung in her ears, urging her to flirt with him, but looking at him now, at the coldness in those glacier eyes, Charity found it very hard to believe that she held any power over him, even borrowed from her mother. He was looking at her now as if she was something very unpleasant but necessary for him to deal with, and he was going to do the job quickly and leave.

Charity swallowed, the liquid in her throat unusually thick and sticky. "Oh, hi," she said faintly when nothing more brilliant came to mind. A muscle twitched in his jaw and he looked away, doing everything with his expression but rolling his eyes. Well, fine, she could deal with that. Her eyes swept over him and she saw he was dressed for the occasion in a turn of the century suit of black, looking very striking contrasted with his paleness. He was twirling a top hat with his fingers.

She cleared her throat, mind frantically searching for something to say, casting into the depths of her brain for something that wasn't offending or provocative. She certainly didn't want to lead him on, not after her chat with Kadar, but she also didn't want to antagonize him and had to find a way to make him her friend. She settled for a short, polite, "Thanks."

He turned his head briefly her way. "For what?"

"Warning me back there. About Kaori. If you hadn't… well, at least I had a chance. That made a difference to me. All the difference in the world, actually, and I want to thank you for it."

"What makes you think I did it for you?"

Charity blinked at him. "Well…"

"Don't fool yourself into thinking I have any pity for you," he continued, eyes narrowed. "Kadar told me to do it."

_The same way he told you to save me from the shark_? she wondered, but stayed silent.

"You are nothing to me," he said sharply, to make sure she understood.

"I never suggested I was," she responded, still watching him. He didn't meet her eyes. She sighed, eyes flicking around the ballroom. "Well," she continued impatiently, "what are we doing here? Time for the next nightmare?"

When he didn't answer, she felt fury rise in her chest. Well, if he was so unresponsive, so uncaring, damn him! She needn't worry about him anyway – he was a Shadow Man, perfectly capable of caring for himself, and if he wanted to let a crazy man and a bunch of lizard-like _things_ rule over him, that was his problem… no concern of hers.

"So what were the orders?" she asked nastily. "Baby-sit me until your superiors think of something terrible to do to my friends? Do you lick their feet and fetch the mail, too?"

His head snapped back and for a minute she felt fear tremor through her as she saw something dangerous and black flash in his eyes, warning her to shut up, but she had worked herself into such a state that it was impossible. Despite the warning in her mind, she went on.

"_Spineless_, that's what you are. Doing their bidding and taking their word for everything when you have no memories of your own, no _past_. You're not a person, you're a _thing_ – a slobbering, mindless slave that lives to serve others. Try having an original thought for once, unless you'll self-implode doing it. You make me _sick_."

She was so angry she barely saw the fury on his face, and what she noticed she dismissed. Good, let him be pissed. At least he'd show some emotion instead of being so _cold_.

"It would be wise not to speak again." He lowered his lids and peered at her through dark, long lashes, and the look he gave sent chills down her back, but of course she ignored him.

"Oh, right, threaten me. Go ahead. Because _I'm_ the enemy. _I'm_ the one keeping you ignorant and _helping _you by tormenting a bunch of kids who never did anything to you. What are you going to do, Julian, kill me? Tear me limb from limb until I'm begging for mercy? Is that what they told you I'd do? Because they're wrong. I'm not afraid of you, Julian. You don't scare me, and you don't fool me…"

His eyes were blue fire. "Shut _up_."

"I'm not afraid of you," she repeated fiercely. "You may think you're a badass, but you're _nothing_, not without them to hold your hand." She heard laughing, but it wasn't Kadar's. Something higher, shriller and oddly familiar. She shivered, remembering the tall crocodile-like Shadow Man who had beckoned to her, and looked Julian in the eyes, questioning. There was no indication that he'd heard.

"I could hurt you," he warned, taking a step forward, making her instinctively move back. She felt her back slide against the cool, smooth glass of the mirror and swallowed, knowing she had nowhere to go. "You don't want to make me do that."

"Don't I? Go ahead. Take a shot at me." When he didn't move, Charity laughed, but it wasn't her usual laugh. She sounded high and triumphant, even though inside she was shaking.

"You can't, can you? You wouldn't even if you could. Those Shadow Masters of yours keep the leash _a bit too tight_, don't they? Did they order you not to lay finger on me until the end of the Game, because I'm the final 'prize?' And you'll listen as always. The good boy, the good student. Why don't you forget them for once and think about how _you_ feel. Do what you want to do. Go on, I'm waiting. I can take it."

For a heartbeat he was still, and then before her mind could register the movement, he had her roughly by the shoulders and was snarling down into her face, a feral look in his eyes. His lips pulled back slightly from his teeth as he pulled her toward him, and she thought for a wild moment that he was going to kiss her or hit her or both, but before she could blink there was a bang of a door slamming open and the distant murmur of speech and laughter.

Julian dropped her in an instant and spun around, retreating while Charity leaned back against the mirror, one hand at the base of her throat. Her pulse was racing, making her giddy and weak. Her arms where he'd held her throbbed and she knew there'd be bruises in a few hours, but didn't care. What mattered was that she'd gotten under that frozen exterior, if only for a moment. There was something behind that cold mask. He _could_ feel.

He wasn't like them.

She felt her anger slowly ebb away as she pondered this, watching the flood of well-dressed people entering from the door that had appeared across the room. _What did it feel like to hunger for a person's touch_? Kadar had asked. Kadar who was so cool even when she tried to anger him. Kadar couldn't feel – but she would bet anything that Julian did, and he felt something for her, if only hatred.

What did it mean? What was she missing?

Charity shook her head to clear it and closed her eyes, leaning back against the mirror. She wished they hadn't been interrupted, that he _had_ kissed her – or even slapped her. She felt that moment would have told her everything she needed to know.

"Charity!"

Weak with relief, she opened her eyes and saw David hurrying towards her across the ballroom. Julian had already disappeared into the crowd that was streaming around the room. _Forget him_, she ordered herself and managed a smile for her best friend.

He threw his arms around her and she couldn't breathe for the full ten seconds he held her. "Thank God, thank God," he murmured against her hair, finally pulling back to look at her, and brought a warm hand to her cheek. "When you went under the water and we came back to ourselves… Charity, I couldn't live if I'd caused your death."

Bitterness washed over her. "Oh, but you _can _live after killing Kaori?" When she saw the flash of pain cross his face, she shook her head and sighed. "No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It was my fault as much as yours. David, look, I _am_ sorry. I know you weren't in control."

David shook his head, and she was surprised to see how hollow his eyes looked, with dark shadows surrounding them. "It isn't much of a Game if there are no rules, is it? All I see is a slow slaughter of every one of us."

"But we have a chance," Charity argued, taking his hands and squeezing them. "I know we do. It can't be hopeless." David shook his head and laughed dryly, showing he didn't share her optimism, but she was busy peering over his shoulders, scanning the room.

"Where are the others?"

"Oh… I ran when I saw you. They should be coming." And they were. She saw Kevin's dark head above the crowd, his eyes lighting up when he saw her, and beside him was little red-haired Julie, her face still pink from tears, but looking slightly uplifted as they walked towards her.

She was glad to see them, but uneasiness crept into her stomach… because she only saw the two of them. "Where's Halena?" she asked, casting a worried look at David. His face was oddly closed when she spoke, and without answering, he turned his head.

"Davy? Where's Halena?"

David said nothing.

Rising panic spread through her body, and when Kevin and Julie reached her, instead of greeting them, she demanded, "_Where's Halena_?"

The half-smile dropped from Kevin's face and he looked at her, eyes growing dark. When neither David or Julie spoke, he took a deep breath and sighed. "She's gone."

"Gone?" The word echoed in her mind. "What do you mean?"

"After you and Kaori disappeared – we could only assume you were dead – Halena wouldn't stop shaking. She was crying, saying that she couldn't believe she had hurt you, and then she went still and pale and fell into the water. I think she just fainted, but when we tried to find her and pull her up, she was gone like you. We didn't know what to do."

While Charity was trying to recover from the shock of losing yet another member of her group, Julie spoke. "Where have _you_ been?"

"Oh… with Kadar," she said faintly, shaking her head. "He thought it'd be fun to taunt me. Don't worry, it was nothing. What about you?"

"Well, after you'd gone, we were in the oasis for a while, and the people were laughing at us. Then everything went dark and we found ourselves in a dungeon, dressed like this." Kevin gestured down at himself. He and David were dressed like Julian, and Julie was wearing a dress of pale blue and gold.

"We had to find a way out," David said suddenly. He smiled weakly when she turned a worried look on him. "We wandered around for a while, then saw those people in the hall and followed them – and found you."

Charity let out her breath slowly. "Whatever happened, I'm glad you're here – all of you," she said, smiling warmly at Julie, who looked slightly disconcerted at the inclusion.

They were silent as they looked at one other, and Charity saw the weariness in their eyes, a tired, almost defeated look. She wanted to offer comforting words, but the truth was that she was almost feeling like giving up as well. But they had to make the best of things, or else end up screaming and alone.

"I'm sorry," she said suddenly, somewhat surprised at herself. When they turned to look at her, she felt tears sting her eyes. "I'm so sorry I got you into this. If it wasn't for me and my stupid ideas of impressing you, we never would have gone near Kadar's shop. It's all my fault."

"No." David looked shocked at her apology. He grabbed her arm and shook his head. "No, Charity, don't. If it hadn't been now, then it would have been another time. Anyway, I'd rather be here with you than let you face this alone."

Julie was frowning but Kevin at least nodded. Charity tried to smile at them but her lips trembled. "Maybe… I suppose they would have tried to get you and Julie anyway, but if it wasn't for me, Ryan would be safe. And Kaori. And Halena…"

"Well, there isn't anything we can do about it, is there?" Julie said in a clipped voice. "We're here, whether it's your fault or not. And we're _all_ going to die."

Even Kevin raised an eyebrow at that and muttered, "A little positivism won't hurt you."

"I don't care. Nothing's going to change that. The sooner you accept it, the easier it will be."

"You mean give up?" A spark went through Charity, making her turn towards Julie sharply and narrow her eyes. "Let them win without fighting?"

"They'll win no matter _what_ we do. Maybe they'll go easier on us if we cooperate."

"With _them_? Are you kidding?" David demanded, staring at his sister like he'd never seen her before. "You think they're prone to displays of mercy?"

"Well, I don't care," Julie said again, shaking her head so her red curls danced around her face. "I don't _care_. I don't want to go on when they're just playing with us, and will swoop down any second and end it. I don't care. I don't _care_. I just want this to be over. I want…"

"Julie," Kevin interrupted. "Let's dance."

"What?" She turned wide brown eyes on him and sniffled, confused.

"This is a ball, right? What else are we supposed to do? We never really got to do that date, did we?"

"Well…" Julie hesitated, eyes darting around the room. A sixteen piece orchestra had set up on the platform in the far corner of the room and was playing an uplifting, cheery little waltz. The laughing strangers grabbed their partners and whirled around the floor in a dazzling display of colorful lace and muslin. The dizzying motion was appealing compared to standing in the corner and moaning dark musings, and apparently Julie thought so, too, as she chewed her lower lip thoughtfully.

"Okay," she said and blushed when Kevin held out his hand.

Charity raised her eyebrows at him mockingly as he walked past, reminding him of what he had said at the campfire, and he rolled his eyes, as if to say, _Yeah, I know, but at least I shut her up_.

The pair glided out to the dance floor.

"He's changed," David mused.

"Well, a little trauma will do that to you." Charity herself felt like an entirely different person than the girl who had woken up Monday morning and risen to go to school.

"Char, do you…" But she didn't hear what he said, for at that moment she lifted her head and sawJulian. He was standing on the other side of the room, leaning back against a mirror and looking bored with his arms crossed over his chest. Kadar was next to him in a lavish suit of peacock blue, whispering, and although his eyes were an intense golden flame, his lips tilted in an amused smirk.

Charity took a step forward and David grabbed her arm. "What are you _doing_?" he demanded, turning a warning look on her. He followed her gaze to where the two Shadow Men were lounging and tightened his grip on her arm. "Haven't you caused enough trouble for one night?"

She shook him off, although it took special exertion. "This is the calm before whatever's going to happen next, and you had better enjoy yourself while it lasts. I have something to do. Don't worry about me so much, Davy."

"How can I not worry when you're always so reckless?"

"Maybe that's just the thing that will save us." She turned a brilliant smile on him and saw some of the worry die from his eyes.

He shook his head with a sigh. "I know – you're a big girl. Do what you want."

She nodded towards the dance floor. "Go on. I'll be right back. I promise."

"I can't stop you," he said in a dead tone and then resigned himself to holding out a hand to a blonde in a lacy pink dress that stood near them. Charity gave him a small smile, and then, straightening her skirt so it fluffed around her, she started towards the other end of the room.

Kadar's eyes lit up when he saw her coming, and he flashed a grin at Julian, who looked less impressed and started studying the mural on the ceiling. Charity forced herself to keep breathing as she moved towards them, pushing herself carefully through the crowd and dodging the various men who tried to get her attention.

_You can do it_, she urged herself. _Prove that you aren't afraid of him_. _That you're in control of your actions_.

She stopped before them. Kadar inclined his head slightly, eyes glittering with dark amusement. Julian glanced at her but his lips were set in a frown, and he almost shrank back against the mirror as she held out her hand.

"Would you like to dance?" she asked, clearly and evenly.

* * *

Many apologies for taking so long to update. My computer crashed a few weeks ago and that slowed things down quite a bit, but mostly I've just been lazy. Blame on the season if you like - who honestly feels like doing anything with cold and snow everywhere? (Excuses, excuses, I know). :) Well, if all goes well, I'll have another chapter within the week - it's written, but the editing part is what scares me.

Thanks again for all your comments!


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen **

Julian's eyes widened as he looked at her. Surprise flickered over his face because she wasn't looking at him – she was looking at Kadar.

Kadar was also momentarily taken off guard, but quickly covered it up with a dazzling grin that would have made any other girl light-headed. "I accept," he said, dipping into a bow, and reached for her hand. "With pleasure."

Charity tried to stop herself from recoiling as he took her hand. Tremors started in her arm and shook her entire body, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to conceal them. His skin was cold – cold as _ice_. But she wouldn't let herself show fear and looked up into his face, lips set in a tight smile.

Those golden eyes watched her pleasantly, liking her daring, liking her attempt to hide her discomfort. With a little laugh and a shake of his head to let her know he wasn't fooled, he led her onto the dance floor.

Once they were positioned, he released one of her hands and she slid it around his waist, where it throbbed with relief against the fabric of his jacket. He held her other hand tightly and twirled her around, but she barely noticed. All feeling had left her hand, and she felt the cold seeping down her arm to her elbow.

"Could you tone it down a bit?" she asked, trying to make her voice light and careless. "It isn't easy dancing with an icicle."

His laugh covered the waltz the orchestra was playing. "Wouldn't if I could. I like seeing you shake."

"I suppose you must, since you can't scare me into it naturally."

He lifted a dark eyebrow, not in amusement or anger, but as if to say 'oh, you think so, do you?' In this light his normally white skin was even paler, like alabaster. He was inhuman, completely alien and strange. She was fascinated despite her hatred as she looked into his eyes, the color of pure flame and energy. So much power… what if she could look at someone like that, and have electricity literally leap from her skin because her body couldn't hold so much…

"Clever idea," he said suddenly, with a look like he knew what she was thinking. "Using me to get Julian jealous. Look at the poor fool."

Charity looked despite herself and met Julian's blue gaze straight on, but a second later he turned away and went back to watching the orchestra, his face completely unreadable. Something thrilled inside her, but she shook her head and pushed the thought away as she looked at Kadar.

"That wasn't my plan. I wasn't thinking of him."

"Oh?" He was intrigued and continued to study her, eyes narrowed. "What then?"

She shrugged, not looking away from his eyes.

He smiled then, corners of his mouth turning up. "You've come back to beg. Let my friends go, do what you want with me, they don't deserve this… blah, blah, blah. Poor Charity, having to prostitute herself like this. Must kill you, huh?"

She matched his smile, just the corner of her mouth lifting while her eyes met his gaze steadily. "I'm not here to beg either."

He blinked and her smile grew, happy to have surprised him. The coldness in her arm started to creep towards her shoulder, but she was able to ignore it now that her attention was focused on Kadar and his reaction.

His mouth twisted slightly before asking again, "What then?" Shadows covered his face.

Charity shrugged, but this time she let her eyes flash challenge at him.

Kadar's reaction was completely unexpected. He burst out laughing.

"Oh, Charity, I could love you. I really could." The smile was back, bright and true. He looked at her fondly, as if he were an older cousin or brother. "Makes me almost wish I was human."

"I'm sure you cry yourself to sleep every night," she said through clenched teeth. He flashed his teeth briefly as he smiled.

"That's what I admire about you; you're a fighter, no matter what happens. That's what makes you so different from your mother. True, she held her own in the Games, but she had to learn how. In the beginning she was as spineless, whimpering and dependent, as, well…" He broke off here and nodded at Julie who was watching them with wide eyes as she danced by with Kevin.

"But you," he continued, golden eyes sweeping her face, "you've been a fighter since the beginning, before danger ever threatened your safety. It's something in your blood, your own special spark of nature that lives on and makes every cell in your body cry out for adventure. Some part of you would rather be here than at home living your quiet life. Because here you have a chance to really _survive_."

Charity stared at him, not sure how to take this. Three of her friends were dead because of her stupidity – how could he even suggest that she wanted to be here, thrilled at the idea of fighting a real battle? But at the same time she knew he was right. Some part of her was awake in the Shadow World more than it had ever been in the daylight. But that didn't mean she would forsake all else and give in to the darkness.

Kadar leaned towards her, his eyes sparkling. His cold lips brushed her ear as he whispered, "Julian loved Jenny because of her simplicity, her goodness. Light to darkness – sometimes. But shadows to shadows is the way of the world because each recognizes a kindred soul in the other, someone to run with, to fight with… to love."

Charity was startled. Her heart pounded uncertainly, and it was some time before she could swallow and form the words she wanted to say. "Love? What would you know about it?"

Kadar laughed, a sound that sent shivery gooseflesh rolling over her skin. "Nothing, thankfully. I have no soul to respond to. That's something only you mortals possess. With a few exceptions, of course." His eyes glittered in a way that made her uncomfortable.

"Julian," she said suddenly, her free hand digging into his back, eager for more. "He's different from you – from all of you. Why?"

"I could tell, but it's so much more fun having you guess."

"Kadar!"

"Say the word."

She bit her lip, trying to control herself before she did something that would make him hurt her. "Please."

"Thought you'd never ask," he said breezily. "Why don't we sit?"

Charity glanced over at the wall he indicated, where the chairs stood in a lonely row. The area was deserted, and she felt a reluctance to go over there with him where anything might happen. "I'd rather stand, thanks."

Kadar shrugged. "Suit yourself." He stopped waltzing and released her hand, and Charity pulled it her chest gratefully. She started massaging it with her other hand, willing warmth and life into it, and within seconds she felt little pinpricks of pain as feeling returned.

"Do you find me attractive?" Kadar asked as she rubbed her cold hand and winced. Charity looked at him sharply, eyes questioning as she thought about this.

"At first… yes," she said slowly. "But now, well, everything that's happened has kind of ruined it for me. There's no question you have a beautiful face… but it's just a mask."

His eyes were oddly calculating as she answered. Now he smiled brazenly, and whispered, "More than you know." But before she could open her mouth to ask what he meant, there was a flash of movement over his shoulder and she had a glimpse of chocolate-colored almond eyes before a dancing couple moved in front and the figure vanished.

Charity's body went rigid with shock. She thought she had seen… but it wasn't possible…

_Kaori_!

A smile fixed on Kadar's face. "Is something wrong?"

"I…" Her voice trailed off and she looked wildly around the room. "I thought I saw…"

"Yes?" There was genuine joy in those golden eyes.

_He knows_, she thought suddenly. _He's playing with me. It's another illusion designed to upset me. But I won't let him know. I never will_.

"Nothing," she said quietly and shook her head to clear the waves of sorrow that were trying to creep back in. Later, she would think about it, but not now. Now she was going to do her best to charm information out of Kadar, since he liked talking so much. Anything that could help her.

"About Julian…" she started.

"And I really thought you had more sense than that. I knew you'd be a temptation for him, but I never imagined it would go both ways."

"I…" She trailed off again, feeling her face redden.

"Oh, I do enjoy you people. A touch of moonlight and you find yourself falling in love even when you're fighting for your life. Like a soap opera. Days of the Restless, or whatever you watch. I don't care."

"Falling in… what are you _talking _about?" But she couldn't deny that she felt something for Julian, whether it was just pity or a desperate need to connect with someone and make an ally. But that didn't mean she was in _love_ with him.

_Shadow to shadow_, she thought suddenly. _That's what Kadar was talking about_. _About _us_… Julian and I. Whatever's going on beneath the obvious connection to my mother_. _As if we're… suited somehow_.

"What are you going to do, Charity?" he asked softly, pleasure gleaming in his golden eyes. "What are you going to do?"

Her mouth was dry and she ran her tongue over her lips nervously. The gloating smile spread over Kadar's face and she had an impulse to hit him and run, but could do nothing but stand frozen, looking into his eyes as if hypnotized. She thought again of predators as she was caught by his golden gaze, of teeth tearing skin and the long hunt, always the way of the world. Kill or be killed. Kadar looked like he was ready to stop playing with her and go in for the kill.

A laugh shook the air in the ballroom, the same laugh she had heard earlier. It broke Charity's stare with Kadar and she looked around, startled. The laugh was high, shrill and hateful, and clearly feminine. How had she not noticed before? She felt malicious intent in the sound, and shivered involuntarily as the giggles worked beneath her skin. Then she looked over Kadar's shoulder and _saw_.

Halena this time, but not as she had ever seen her. Her hair, always waist length and golden, fell to her knees and shone with the silvery glow of the moon. Her skin was pale as marble and her normally sweet and honest eyes shone hard and dark as sapphires. But her supernatural beauty wasn't as shocking as the _look_ Charity saw on her face. Her delicate features were twisted and her beauty couldn't cover up the look of hunger and spiteful pleasure in her eyes.

Her smile grew as she looked at Charity. Her pale pink lips drew back from tiny white teeth and she whispered, "_Starving_…"

Kadar's hands clamped on Charity's arms and she jerked in his embrace, overcome with shivers and trying to get _away_. She moaned softly as she looked wildly around the ballroom, and then felt tears work at the corners of her eyes when she saw Kaori and Ryan standing a little ways away, leaning against each other and laughing, each beautiful and _wrong_ at the same time. Their eyes were hungry, like _them_.

She had assumed they were dead, but this was worse…

Charity stared at Kadar with wide eyes, overcome with the horror of this discovery. The laughter of the three echoed in her ears. She swallowed and met the golden orbs straight on, desperate for an explanation, wanting to know _how_. Wanting to demand why.

The look in his eyes was intense, and Charity felt herself still and gaze directly into them, caught by what she saw within. The noise of the orchestra faded to a distant hum as she was drawn into his eyes. She saw her reflection there – a pale girl with wide eyes and a tense expression, entranced and caught in a magic she knew little about. And she saw him, Kadar, only it wasn't him.

Beyond the pupils of the eyes was a flash of the inner being, of the horrors housed in his skin. The golden eyes were beautiful, but what lay beneath them was twisted and horrible. Evil. Hunger emitted in waves from him. And she saw through the façade to the true form he kept hidden away. For an instant he was both – both the Kadar she knew and loathed, with the pale, pale skin and dark hair that fell into his eyes in a fashionable disheveled way – but also there was another, more frightening being. It was the Shadow Man beneath the skin. She saw him at last.

His skin was yellow like his eyes, but instead of a steady, beautiful gold, this was the color of pus. Clear liquid oozed from sores all over his body, and the skin looked rough and scaly like it had never known lotion. It was shaped like a human, vaguely, except that the back was hunched over and angled, like a person with extreme scoliosis. Long yellowing nails sprang from both the fingers and toes. And on top of the strangeness of the figure were the familiar golden eyes, beautiful eyes, full of evil and enjoyment.

The mouth opened and a low chuckle came out. "So now you know." It was Kadar's voice. Silky. Irresistible. "Do you still find me beautiful, Charity?"

Her throat was extremely dry as she looked at him, seeing him flash from the grotesque, slimy form back to the beautiful face she had always assumed was the true Shadow Man. The change became rapid, going back and forth like a strobe light until it looked like this Kadar was a combination of both. And from the corners of her eyes she saw her three former friends, their bodies pale and beautiful, closing around them. Low chuckles sounded in her brain.

A scream rose in her throat, but it caught and stuck so she was only able to release a faint whimper. She wanted to move backwards but was frozen, falling forever into those golden eyes. Trapped by a hunter. The hand was reaching towards her, attached to the arm that was both pale alabaster and bubbling sores, and she wasn't going to be able to resist. Not anymore.

Reaching, reaching for her… a chuckle from that perfect mouth, knowing he had won… and Charity frozen, unable to do anything or think…

_Was he going to make her into one of _them?

And then… and then…

"May I cut in?"

Julian


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

It was like nothing had happened. The three figures were gone and Kadar was back before her–the Kadar she had always seen–and he lifted an eyebrow in an amused arch as he turned to the boy standing beside him.

"Why, of course." He took a step backwards, motioning Julian towards Charity. "I've said all I needed." And with one last sarcastic smile at her, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Charity's eyes were fixed in his direction long after he had gone, and it took Julian's impatient cleared throat to bring her back to reality. She shivered as she turned to him, eyes unfocused and mind replaying the images she had seen of the monster within. The real Kadar. Hideous, like all the Shadow Men. But not the three newest…

He hadn't answered her question, but he had shown her. The fate of her three friends hadn't been the first time… she was sure of it. She swallowed carefully and forced herself to meet Julian's eyes. A sinking in her middle accompanied this action. What if she was wrong, and got close enough to Julian to see within _him_. She didn't think she could handle seeing him like that, not on top of everything else she had found out.

She trembled violently as she looked at him, but all she saw were his usual blue eyes watching her blankly in a beautiful but more human stare than Kadar's. Slowly she felt herself calm as she looked at him and he looked back, neither of them moving or speaking. Now was the moment. She took a deep breath and willed herself the courage to say what she needed to say.

"We need to talk," she said gently and reached out a hand to take his arm. Heat radiated from beneath his jacket.

She expected him to shake her off and get angry, or accuse her of playing with his emotions again. What she didn't expect was the slight nod and bleak expression. Or the whispered, "I know."

Charity blinked at him quickly, and then responded with a quick nod of her own. She started to pull him towards the chairs, but Julian shook his head. "No, somewhere private. Come on." He moved away from her as he walked, but kept looking behind every few seconds to check that she was following. He headed towards the door where the crowd had come in. Although she didn't turn around to see, she felt Kadar's searing gaze on her back.

Once they were in the hall, Julian turned left and continued walking until they were at the far end and passed through another door that opened onto a balcony overlooking a night full of stars. It was too dark to see any details of the land that lay beyond, or perhaps there was none because all in fact was only an illusion. The sky itself, however, was as impressive and expansive as she had ever seen it, with the tiny pinpricks of light in the distant sky brighter and more numerous than she saw from her backyard in California. She was truly in another world.

But beautiful as the heavenly bodies were, they also made her nervous, because they reminded her of the eyes of the Shadow Men, always watching, their gazes terrifying and magnetic at the same time. Ever-present.

"We're not alone even here," she said, turning to Julian with a little shiver. "I can feel them watching."

"It doesn't matter." Julian's eyes were black in the darkness, and seeing her shivering, he took off his jacket and held it towards her. It took Charity a few seconds to realize what he was doing, and when she did, she broke into a blush that the night couldn't conceal.

"Oh… no. You don't have to do that."

"Put it on," he said, not kindly. "I won't argue with you."

Charity took the coat. But she didn't thank him.

She slipped it over her shoulders, eyes fixed on the balcony railing, which appeared to be made of wood carved with gilded roses. There was silence for a long moment as she tried to think of something to say. Julian appeared to be in the same situation, for when she glanced at him, he was staring at the sky, eyes narrowed slightly but otherwise expressionless.

She wanted to ask him why he brought her there, whether he knew what had happened to her friends, and if there was even the slightest chance he was on her side. What she said was, "Nice hat."

Julian looked startled for a minute, and then glanced at the top hat he was twirling with his fingers. She thought he smiled, but it was too dark to tell.

"Thanks. Part of the job to look authentic."

"I bet."

Another silence beat through the air, until Julian stopped fiddling with his hat and asked abruptly, "Are you alright?"

Charity, who wasn't expecting this from him, blinked. "What? I…"

"I saw you with him, and you looked terrified."

"Oh. Well…" This was the moment to tell him all she'd found out about the Shadow Men, but she found herself strangely reluctant to speak. How could she tell him that all he knew was a lie? She looked at him silently.

If Charity hadn't seen, she wouldn't have believed it, but Julian turned away and she thought she detected a hint of color in his cheeks before he turned his back on her. "He was doing something to you. And when I saw your face, when I saw the look in your eyes, I felt…"

Charity felt something stir within. "You felt?" she echoed softly. That admission was enough to confirm her thoughts.

Julian stilled for a moment and then slowly turned back to her. His face was shadowed and she couldn't make out all his features, but somehow she knew his eyes were as dark and intense as she had ever seen them. "Something I've never felt before." There was a twist to his mouth that made the statement ironic.

Charity's heart was racing. "What?"

"Fear. Imagine, a Shadow Man being the one afraid. I was scared. For you."

Charity swallowed heavily. She didn't know what to say.

"Can you tell me why, Charity?" he continued, and hearing him speak her name didn't help the butterflies in her stomach. "I wanted to kill Kadar for threatening you, but see no reason why I should care for your comfort. It wasn't only a momentary madness. From the first moment I saw you standing there with your friends, your face has been on my mind. You were so brave, standing in front of those worthless humans to protect them, and when you looked at my elders it was with defiance, even though I know how terrifying they were to you. They are to me."

He paused and took a deep breath. "You're the daughter of my enemy. What else is there for me but to hate you? They've explained it to me many times, but somehow I don't hate you. And whenever I look at you I doubt everything inside of me that would be true but for you. So you think you have some information for me. I accept that. You'd do anything to save yourself and your pathetic friends. I may even listen, since I am beginning to doubt that everything my elders have spoken is accurate. But that doesn't explain why everywhere I look, even when I cannot see you, I am haunted by your eyes."

Charity's eyes had been stinging throughout this speech, but at that last bit, she swallowed and blinked back disappointment. "My eyes," she echoed with a little shake of her head and laughed bitterly. "That's all you see of me, isn't it? Would it surprise you to know that my mother has the same eyes?"

He was a silent for a heartbeat. Then: "Why should I care?"

"You were in love with her. And I think you still are. Whatever you may think–whatever you feel–it has nothing to do with me." _Although I wish with all of _my_ heart than it did_, she added silently and forced her expression into one as stony as the Chinese statue that had attacked her. She would tell him the truth, but not let him know that it upset her.

Julian's reaction surprised her. He laughed. Not the bitter self-pitying laugh Charity was prone to making lately, but a burst of mixed mirth and anger. The sound was music in her mind, and colored as brightly as a rainbow after an afternoon shower. He brought a hand to his forehead and swept frost-kissed bangs away from his face. His eyes sparked blue in the darkness.

"Your mother… your mother. I'm tired of hearing about her. She's all Kadar talks about, how she tricked me, and betrayed me and killed me. I have to listen to the others speak of tearing flesh from her bones one strip at a time and watching her die slowly. And whenever we're alone, you find fit to remind me of something I can't and quite honestly don't want to remember. You may be right. When I try to stretch my mind back, all I sense is pain and unhappiness. Why would I _want_ to remember?"

He was still laughing, his voice silk and mist. Charity could hardly breathe, could hardly think, as he smiled, sending a thrill of nervous excitement through her. "I'm here with _you_ now, not Kadar, not your mother, and I want to know why you in particular unsettle me. And I want to – to do… _this_…"

He kissed her. Charity hadn't been prepared, had been too stunned to move, but the instant his lips touched hers she felt fire course through her body and she came _alive_. The worries that had been haunting her mind drained away and all she could feel was _him_, how warm his body felt next to hers, how his soft kisses made her entire being thrum with electricity. He kissed her slowly, almost delicately, as if he was afraid anything more would make her pull away and leave him. Afraid if he took too much she'd reject him when he needed her most.

_But that's not right. I wouldn't do that to you_, Charity thought, and to prove it, she lifted her arms and placed one behind his neck to pull him close and the other on his chest. She felt the hard muscles there and the pound of his heartbeat.

Charity was feeling dizzy, weak. She started to sink in his embrace and felt his arm slide around her waist to support her. The other was in her hair, tilting her head back slightly and making her scalp tingle where he touched. She felt she could fall forever with him and wouldn't mind as long as he was with her and held her like this. Always.

But something was waking up inside her and her mind started to clear. She wasn't used to being kissed like this and completely yielding herself. Every time before she had been in control, and wonderful as this was, she wanted to show him what she could do and feel him reel from _her_ touch. To not just take, but _give_.

It was an incredible effort to pull away from him, even though he did nothing to stop her. Charity took a step back, trying to catch her breath as she looked at him. Her cheeks were flushed with color. He met her eyes directly and she was surprised to see a flash of the Julian within, the one that he kept hidden away under the façade of the uncaring, tough Shadow Man. A hint of vulnerability and uncertainty were in his face, and she saw him desperately trying to build walls up and keep her out, regaining what he'd lost.

A little sparkle of a laugh escaped Charity's lips. "Not this time," she told him, grabbing a handful of his shirt, and pulled him towards her. And this time she did things _her_ way. When they kissed, she intensified the pressure of her lips and held him to her tightly. Her movements were quicker and she encouraged him to part his lips and introduced just the lightest tongue. The electricity intensified.

This time it was Julian who pulled back, and she could tell that he was as dizzy and breathless as she had been moments before. He laughed, sounding shaken. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time. Since I pulled you from the water."

Charity smiled weakly. "And I really thought you hated me. But it wasn't that at all, was it?"

"No," he agreed, looking dazed. "Although it was a long time before I could admit that to myself. It's so much easier hating you than…" He stopped abruptly. But Charity knew.

She had him (as much as he had her), and if she spoke now, he would listen. He might even believe. And if he didn't, well, she could always kiss him again and see what happened…

She had to choose her words carefully, but there really was no delicate way to say it. Charity took a deep breath. "Julian… you're human."

He smiled. "Don't you think I wish at moments like this that I was? Instead of stealing moments in the dark, I could bring you somewhere in the sunlight. Somewhere _real_, where we wouldn't have to hide. We could do all the things I've seen humans do – I'd be able to take you out, and we could stay away all day. I could introduce myself to your parents…"

"I'm pretty sure you already know them," Charity muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing. Julian, you're not listening to me. I meant what I said. You are human. Or were. They did something to you and made you… _this_. But you weren't always that way. You were more like me. Mortal. Not a Shadow Man. Human."

He stared at her, and then sighed. "I see how you would think that. Just because I look something like you, this form I have. But it's only temporary. Soon, my outer form will start to resemble the inner and I'll look more like the other Shadow Men. It's inevitable. The true me."

Charity was horrified at this idea, but shook her head. "Kadar…" she started, but he cut her off.

"Is human too? Ah, yes. He is only young like me. Time will show our true forms. Maybe you won't be so eager to kiss me then." He laughed bitterly, self-pity evident in his face. Charity couldn't stand seeing him like that and grabbed his hands, squeezing them tightly.

"But you're still not listening. I _have_ seen Kadar's true form. He's nothing like you. He's a monster… like _them_."

Julian's expression was completely incredulous. "Like them? Right. And why would he hide it away? The Shadow Men take great pride in their appearances. They like being creatures of nightmares."

"Well, obviously to fool you."

He lifted an eyebrow and the flash in his eyes showed his temper was present. "To _fool_ me? And why would he want to do that?"

"Because of what they told you – there can't be a newer Shadow Man than you who looks like a monster. If all they told you is true, then he would look more like you, wouldn't he? Beautiful and basically human-shaped. That's why Kadar had to lie to you. Oh, don't you see the problem? But I'm starting to think it wouldn't matter anyway, because you're too stupid to see that anything's wrong."

His eyes were cold. "You go too far."

"No, I don't. Why don't you open your eyes and look around to see what's really happening? It can be done… I've seen it. You know what happened to my friends? I thought they were dead, but they're not. They're like _you_. The newest Shadow Men who aren't Shadow Men at all." She laughed.

"If this were true, I would know. They would tell me."

"Well, that's the point, isn't it? They wouldn't tell you if you were just another player in their Game." She stopped and looked at him closely, chewing on her lower lip.

"It horrifies you, doesn't it? The thought of looking like them, and the slow degeneration into something repulsive. It scares you."

"_Nothing_ scares me."

"No, I can see it. I don't blame you. You don't want it."

"Well, who would?"

"_You_ just said the Shadow Men were proud of their appearances. If you were one of them, you'd be pleased, wouldn't you?" She stopped and smiled. "No, it's okay. I get it. Vanity is human, after all."

The look he gave her was one of the ugliest and most frightening she had received yet, but instead of shrinking back like he wanted her to, Charity clenched her teeth and straightened her back, looking him steadily in the eyes. After a minute he lowered his eyes and looked away, his expression twisted with confusion and frustration. He didn't know what to believe. Some of her anger died away at that look and she felt herself softening towards him.

"Look," she said gently, "I know it must be hard, but can't you for one second put aside the Shadow Man and try to see things from a human perspective? Then maybe you can put the facts together in your mind, and see that I'm right. You're intelligent – I know you are – you're just in denial, and honestly I can't blame you for that. It's a horrible thing to find out. But I want to help you, Julian, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner we can try to save ourselves."

But he was still shaking his head bitterly. "They told me you'd try something like this…" he started suspiciously.

Another wave of anger hit her. "Oh, you're taking their side, now? Fine, I give up. I don't care. I think I may ask Kadar for another dance. _Don't you touch me_." This when he reached for her again and she took an angry step back, glaring at him.

"I'll touch you if I want." He took her arm and then his look softened. "Don't go back there. Don't go to him where I can't protect you."

Charity swallowed. "You honestly care if he does something to me?"

"Don't ask stupid questions," Julian said crossly. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. "If you stay here, playing their Game, you'll die."

"So… you'll help me?" Charity held her breath. She could scarcely believe it.

"Yes. I'll help you."

Charity was so relieved she could scarcely stand. She gripped both of his arms tightly, looking into his eyes. "_Thank you_. Thank you _so _much. I'll go get David. Wait here…" But he caught her around the waist when she tried to leave, pulling her to him.

"Why?"

"Why?" she echoed stupidly, looking at him. "Because you said you'll help us. We need to plan…"

"I said I'd help _you_."

She stared at him in disbelief. "But… it's a package deal, Julian. If you want to help me, you have to help them, too. I'm not leaving without them."

"Who said anything about leaving?" Julian ignored her shocked expression and pulled her tightly to his chest. "It's simple. I don't want you to get hurt and I want you with _me_. They'll listen when I tell them. They have other prey to amuse themselves with. You're staying here with me, Charity. You're _mine_. My prey."

And before she could speak or move at all, he leaned down and kissed her again.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Part Sixteen**

Charity stood frozen as Julian's arms wrapped around her. His lips were everywhere, against her own, on her throat, in her hair. The fingertips on her skin were charged with a crackling energy. He was doing everything right. On any other occasion she would have been drawn into him completely, but at that moment thoughts of passion had left her. Her mind spun in confusion. This was not at all what she had planned.

The dichotomy of her mind didn't help. One part of her brain was ringing in alarm, flashing images of herself trapped forever in this dark world. The other simply thought, _I don't care_. She didn't know if she had the strength to fight him - she didn't know if she _wanted_ to. And the longer this went on, the worse it would get.

Charity forced her mouth into a grimace and pushed him away from her so hard that he was thrown back against the balcony railing. Julian's eyes were wide as he steadied himself. She had caught him completely off guard. "What the hell are you thinking?" she snapped. "That's your idea of helping me, keeping me like some kind of pet?"

Julian blinked. His mouth twitched once, and then he started laughing.

Humiliation flooded through her. "You think this is funny? I'm being serious, and you're turning it into a joke!"

Julian stopped laughing, but his lazy smile didn't fade. "Do I strike you as someone who jokes? I just find it cute how you think you have a choice in the matter. Don't try to be so brave, little girl. If you care at all about your life, you'll do as I say."

Charity was too shocked to speak. She couldn't believe that this was the same person who had held her moments before, who had offered her his jacket and had genuinely seemed to care about her feelings. "What did you expect?" he continued silkily. "That I was your friend? I don't give a damn about your opinion. I take what I want. It's as simple as that."

When Charity continued to gape at him, Julian's expression changed once more, reminiscent of the kind, tender look of before. He reached for her, and Charity was too stunned to resist. Despite his composed air, she could feel his rapid heartbeat when he held her against his chest. "Forget them," he murmured against her hair. "Why worry about a few mortals when you could have everything you desire? Ask me for anything and I will create it for you. I can mold you a world of pleasures, of magic and excitement and adventure. Everything you have ever dreamed of but never thought possible. You have only to ask. What more could you want?"

The question was a mistake. Listening to his words, she had been drifting on a dream of possibilities, but that brief lapse was over. Charity's eyes stung. A rock rested in her throat. "I'd want Kaori. And David, Halena… every one of my friends back safely in our world." She slipped out of his arms, feeling the shock of cool night after his warmth. Julian didn't try to stop her. "There's nothing you could offer that would possibly tempt me away from them," she concluded steadily.

Julian's eyes were cold. "You're a fool. You'd give up your life for those you can't save anyway? Rather than" He broke off, and added flatly, "I gave you a chance to give in to me willingly. I'd rather not have to force you, but I will. You can't win against me."

Charity brought a shaking hand to her forehead. Her pinned up curls had long since come loose, and her hair fell in tangled waves against her shoulders. She knew she looked a mess, but couldn't bring herself to care. "Probably not. You're right. If you want to keep me here, maybe I can't stop you. But I want you to understand that if you do that to me, I will hate you. Whatever it was that happened between us a moment ago… it will _never _happen again. I mean it, Julian."

She meant it as a threat, in a desperate appeal to whatever part of him might truly care for her, but he simply smiled, albeit chillingly. "This half-hearted resistance, I get it. You're a free spirit; no one can cage you in; you make your own decisions. Let's move on. But don't waste time pretending you don't want to be with me. Why fight it?"

Charity snapped. She was through talking reasonably with him. "You arrogant _asshole_. Let's get this straight. This whole love prisoner thing - it's a huge turnoff. I'm not confused, and I'm not going to change my mind." She removed his jacket from her shoulders in a few jerky movements and thrust it at him. When he didn't take it, she threw it at his face. He easily caught it, his fist clenching tightly over the fabric. When he lowered the jacket, his expression was angry.

"Careful, Charity," he said softly. "Don't forget who has the power here. There are ways I could persuade you that are not as pleasant as kisses."

She believed him. For an instant she was frightened. There was no bluff in those eyes blue as winter lakes; he was deadly as a striking serpent, and it had been foolish to believe otherwise. But her hesitation was washed away with a wave of her own anger. She took a step backwards, breathing hard.

"You know what? I don't need your help, in whatever twisted way you think you're giving it. I don't want it. I'm going to get through this on my own." She furiously turned and stomped towards the entrance.

Somebody inside screamed.

Charity stopped walking. The hot fury that had been pulsing through her skin abruptly turned to ice. At the second desperate cry, she swung around to stare at Julian.

"What did you do?" she demanded, her voice shaking with fear and rage. "_What did you do_?" The screams continued, horrible cries of terror. The voice was male.

Julian didn't move. He appeared a moonlit statue, standing still against the endless night. His skin was pale as the marble he leaned against, and his eyes black as the inky sky.

Charity felt so cold; her heart might as well have stopped beating. "I hate you," she told him. She hoped he felt the full wrath of her words. Unable to bear the suspense, she lifted her skirt and ran inside.

The clank of her shoes against the pristine floor echoed eerily in the dark hallway. Charity's left heel slipped on the waxy floor and her ankle twisted beneath her. She fell, letting out a frustrated yell as she hit the ground. Her palms and knees stung from the awkward landing, and her twisted ankle throbbed, but she didn't allow herself time to recover. She frantically pulled off her shoes and tossed them aside. Her ankle protested when she leapt to her feet, but she ignored the pain.

A figure rose up ahead of her in the darkness. She gasped, but it was only Kadar in his "human" form. Something about his mocking smirk told her that he knew everything that had transpired between her and Julian. He was loving her sense of crisis, drinking it in from the air. Charity ran forward again, slamming her shoulder into him as she passed. His delighted laughter followed her down the hall.

The screams stopped when she was halfway there as abruptly as if someone had pressed the mute button on the horrible movie of her life. Rather than be comforted, her anxiety increased. When she finally burst through the double doors into the ballroom, she held her breath despite the burning in her chest. She was terrified about what she would see.

The ballroom was silent and still as a mausoleum. The lights were dimmed; the orchestra and troop of dancers had disappeared. But David and Julie were standing in the center of the floor, alone and apparently unharmed. Charity let out a cry of relief, and ran towards them. David turned at the noise she made, but before he had a chance to react to her presence, she leapt on him. Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she buried her face into his shoulder. She was shaking as she cried, "Davy, I was so scared. I thought…"

His arms were around her, tightly, comforting. It was the way he had held her when they were children, whenever she tumbled off her bike and scraped her knees or awoke terrified from a dream during a sleepover. Back then she hadn't minded being comforted; back then she had still needed people. For so long she had been steeped in her own capability and strength that it was refreshing to throw all that aside and become a frightened little girl again.

David held her until she was able to raise her head. She was calmer, but his expression, when she met his eyes, was anything but uplifting.

"They took Kevin," he said simply.

The temporary relief that had infused through Charity vanished. Of course. If it hadn't been David…

"What happened?" she asked steadily, her fingers digging nervously into his arms.

"You don't want to know," David told her earnestly, but Julie said, "Torture. They showed him what they were going to do to him, and then they dragged him away."

"Oh, God." Charity felt faint. She remembered a European History class from the previous year when Kevin had done a presentation on the Inquisition. Most of the time (when he wasn't absent) he sat in the back of the class, foggily staring out the window, but that day he had been unusually intent. The disgust on his face when he had spoken of the ways anyone who disagreed with the Church was tortured… And it was her fault. A punishment for making Julian angry, a reminder of what he could do.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she said dismally.

David gave her a surprised look. "What are you apologizing for?"

Charity couldn't stop shivering. "Everything I've done so far has been a mess. I thought I could talk to Julian. I thought he would save us, and that, I don't know, maybe he wasn't really such a bad guy. But I was wrong." She bit her tongue and shook her head vigorously. Even now, overpowering her vehemence and disgust, memories of Julian's lips and the feel of his arms around her were creeping back into her mind. Was she really that hopeless, to still want him after everything he'd done? Never, never again could she allow him the slightest power over her.

A frown darkened David's face. "What happened? Did he do something to you?" Charity looked at him quickly. He had always been able to read her so effortlessly, as if she were his twin and not Julie. But she couldn't tell him. She feared what David would try to do to Julian - and fail - if he thought Julian had harmed her in any way.

"I… no. He just made it clear that he wasn't going to help us." She shifted her gaze and ended up meeting Julie's eyes. The girl's copper eyebrows were arched skeptically. But she didn't say anything.

"And now, I don't know what to do," Charity continued wearily. David's hand tightened on her shoulder.

"I might."

Charity swallowed her tears and looked up at him. "_What_?"

"It's not much," he warned, "but while you were gone I remembered something else my dad said. About a runestave."

Charity blinked. Kadar had said something about a runestave.

"He said it controls the life of a Shadow Man. When a name is carved onto it, one comes into being. When the name is carved off, the Shadow Man dies. Now, I don't know how true this is, or how it works, but it might be our only shot."

"And _I _spent the last half hour telling him it's not the kind of thing they're likely to leave lying around," Julie said acidly. "If it exists. And Kevin said-" She stopped abruptly and bit her lip, looking miserable.

David was looking at Charity, his deep brown eyes somber but touched with an inner fervor. "I thought, if we destroy it… well, maybe it won't get us home, but if we can get rid of _them_ we're no worse off."

He clearly expected an enthusiastic response, but Charity was quiet. She looked down at her hand. The small circlet of gold on her left ring finger shone brilliantly even in the dim light. She touched it gently, working to keep her face neutral. "So we destroy this runestave, and they all die."

David looked sympathetic, as if he knew what she was thinking. But he wasn't even close. "We can't bring them back," he said quietly. "In a way, it would be a mercy to them. Do you think Kaori would have wanted to live this way?"

Charity shut her eyes. A tear slid out, cool against her cheek. "No. I don't think any human would." She was silent for a minute, eyes fixed on her ring as her fingers clenched into a fist. "Okay. So how do we find out if it's true?"

"We were hoping you could help with that," Julie said. Charity looked at her, but saw nothing but sincerity in her eyes.

"_We_ weren't hoping anything," David put in quickly, with a sharp glance at his sister. "I'm not putting her in that kind of danger. Even for this."

"So what, you're going to do it? You think you'd get anything out of him? She's the only one they're interested in. We're just meat." Julie's face was very white as she spoke, but she didn't tremble. Sometime during the course of the night the little princess had hardened. Charity felt a surge of respect for her.

"It's okay," she told David. "What do you want me to do?"

David looked pained. "You are under no obligation whatsoever to do this. It was just a thought. The point is that we can't do anything without knowing if the runestave exists or how it works. If you talk to him"

"No," Charity said forcefully, cutting off a surprised David. "I can't do it. I'm sorry." The thought was horrible, of going back to Julian under a veil of trickery, pretending she had changed her mind, to coax out of him the very information that would destroy him  she wasn't that heartless. And furthermore he wasn't that stupid.

"Julian would never fall for it," she added.

"Actually, we were thinking of Kadar."

Kadar. Hmm. Charity thought about that. He just might be vain enough to fall for it. But did it matter where the information came from if the end result was the same?

_I don't care_, she reminded herself savagely.

She said aloud, "I'll do it."

Julie looked relieved, but David had a look on his face as if he was about to be sick. "It's alright, Davy," she assured him. "I got you into this mess. I'm going to get you out."

_If I can_, she added silently.

Now all she had to do was figure out what to do next.

* * *

Hey guys. I've so very sorry for the long overdue update (I can't believe it's been over a year - what have I been thinking??). I guess it helps that I actually know how it's going to end now. Thanks to anyone who's stuck with me, and as usual, comments are appreciated. I'll try to do better updating the next chapter. :) 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen**

As it turned out, promises were easier made than kept. Charity fully meant to fulfill the vow she had made to her remaining friends, but the fact remained that they were alone in an abandoned ballroom without a plausible plan let alone decent running shoes. _A temporary inconvenience_, she told herself grimly, scanning the length of the long room. Flickering light at the far end indicated an exit, but Charity was hesitant to move towards it. She didn't like being led like a pawn in Kadar's grand Game. The light reminded her of a flashing sign beckoning a visitor forward in a fun house. Just before something horrible jumps out before said visitor's face. But what else could she do?

"Come on," she said to David and Julie, trying to keep her voice peppy although the sound came out as more of a growl. They crowded up close behind her as she walked. David's hand, warm and comforting, was a welcome addition to her shoulder. She felt stronger with them supporting her, even with Julie shivering and stumbling along at her side. Whatever the Shadow Men might think, they were not yet beaten.

It wasn't until they reached the door that her confident stride faltered. For a moment bravado left her. Soft green light leaking in through the cracks pulsed against the surrounding darkness, a silent but menacing threat. Charity was filled with a strong reluctance to touch it. Who was she kidding? She was a fraud. She couldn't do it. Kadar would never listen to her, and anything that was behind that door would probably cause a great deal of pain to her and her friends. Panic built up inside her almost to the breaking point, but before it could spill over, Julie stepped forward and opened the door herself. The fear vanished.

The door swung open. Charity had to blink several times for her eyes to adjust to the blackness. Images of all the monsters and hell beasts Kadar could have thoughtfully conjured for them danced in her mind. Fortunately the scene was more benign than she had expected. Light from the pearly moon and cold glittering stars aided her eyes. She was soon able to make out the forest that was spread before them. An ordinary forest, full of pines, oaks and maples straining to reach the sky. On the outside, at least. She was willing to bet that whatever was waiting for them inside was anything but ordinary.

Charity slowly drew in her breath. It took every bit of self-control she had to speak. "Go on," she said. "Just stay together and be careful."

"What are you talking about?" David turned to blink at her. He looked genuinely puzzled. Charity loved him with all of her heart and soul, but he could be incredibly dense.

She sighed. "I've got to draw out our boy. Kadar. You know, lanky, golden eyes, sick sense of humor. I hardly think he'll speak to me with you two hanging in the background."

"But… no…" David floundered. "That's not-"

"We have to stay together," Julie interrupted. She looked close to tears again. Charity frowned at her. She had thought Julie would understand; but, of course, she could never count on support from her even in the normal world.

"You're the ones who wanted me to do this! Look, I'm not thrilled about wandering around in the darkness alone, and if you've got a better plan I'd love to hear it." After a brief pause with no answer, Charity straightened her shoulders and tried to look braver than she felt. "So that's it then. Go on and leave me. I'll be fine. And if you keep giving me that look, Davy, I'm going to start crying. Really, don't."

David's face was grim under the dim moonlight. He looked simultaneously stunned, furious and worried. But he didn't voice the protests that were surely racing through his brain. Instead, he reached out and took hold of Charity's shoulders. She assumed he was preparing to shake her, but he surprised her by rapidly pulling her against him, enfolding her in a fervent embrace. All the breath was forced out of her lungs, but even if she had been able to move she wouldn't have pushed him away. His arms trembled as he held her. Moved, Charity circled her own arms around his waist and hugged him back.

Long seconds passed where they just held each other. It wasn't until Julie sneezed that Charity remembered herself. Pulling away slightly, she looked up at him with a slight smile and a shrug. "Don't worry about me. I'm brave."

Her attempt at reassuring David failed. He looked even more depressed. "I know you are. Brave and stupid and reckless. That's why-" He broke off with a little moan and released her. Charity hadn't realized how chilly the night air had become until he stepped back.

David looked for a moment like he was struggling with himself, but he finally sighed. "Okay. I won't try to stop you. I know it's our only chance. Just please take care of yourself."

Charity smiled. "You know me."

"Exactly." He still wasn't smiling. After one last look, he beckoned to Julie, and the two of them started off around the perimeter of the forest. Julie turned and waved hesitantly over her shoulder. Charity watched them until even the sharp flame of Julie's hair vanished in the darkness. Now that they were gone, she was able to drop the confident smile from her lips. Brave or not, during this entire nightmare, she had never voluntarily gone alone into danger. If David's life didn't depend on it, she wouldn't now.

She turned unenthusiastically to stare at the forest. Was it her imagination, or were the trees actually growing taller, stretching forth to rival Jack's beanstalk? Listening to the ghostly whispers of the wind sweeping through the branches made her sick with fear. _Sacrifice_, the trees seemed to hiss at her, a hopeless warning to stay away. She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. _Sacrifice_. But that wasn't really true, she thought stubbornly. If anyone should be worried, it was David and Julie. Kadar had promised to save her for last. The thought should have made her feel better, but it didn't. Ignoring the whispered warnings and her own better judgment to run after David, she stepped into the forest.

Fallen leaves crackled beneath her feet under the dark canopy. Charity walked without any concept of where she was going, hands raised in front of her to prevent knocking herself out against a tree trunk. She soon realized that this precaution was unnecessary. A silvery-green mist lit the trees and surrounding toadstools, a light coming from the forest itself. Charity would have thought it was beautiful if she wasn't so scared. There was nothing really ominous about the forest itself, only her own experience of knowing better. It was the perfect setting for every fairy tale she had ever imagined. She wouldn't have been surprised to see fairy lights in the distance or a trail of breadcrumbs along the path. And the prince galloping towards her on a white stallion, sword brandished and ready to take on the Shadow Men for her… but that wouldn't happen. Charity had stopped believing in fairy tales a long time ago.

After five minutes of fruitless wandering, she paused beside a glowing birch. The forest was very quiet. No hooting owls or buzzing insects. No bats flapping their wings or the far-off giggles of an Elven celebration. Most importantly, no golden-eyed laughing Shadow Man. She had expected him to make an appearance long before this.

"Come on, Kadar, I know you can see me," Charity muttered. She conjured up a picture of him in her mind and let the hate come. If she didn't concentrate on her hatred instead of the fear, she might start shaking and never stop.

Frustrated, she stomped on the nearest fluorescent mushroom. "Kadar, I need to talk to you," she tried. Her words hung in the air, unanswered. She said his name three times. Seven. But still no response.

Annoyance gripped her. "Dammit, Kadar, I know you can hear me!" she yelled. Immediately, all light in the forest went out. The curses Charity had been about to shout stuck in her throat. She shut her mouth with a snap and groped beside her for the birch tree. Smooth bark rubbed against her fingers, but that was little consolation when anything could be leaping towards her in the darkness.

"Kadar?" she tried one more time. She tried not to be annoyed when her voice quavered. If ever she was allowed a time to be worried, surely it was now. Charity's nails dug into the bark of the birch tree when she clenched her fingers. She raised her arms before her in the darkness and took a tentative step forward.

That was when the whispering started.

At first she thought it was her imagination. The hushed, scattered sounds could have been the wind moving branches to tap and clack against one another, or the rustle of dead leaves. It was easy to create imaginary monsters in the dark, and that was terror enough. The thought that something was actually in the woods with her, watching her with glittering eyes and calling to her softly was more frightening than she could possibly allow herself to feel. Charity stood very still and listened, trying to make sense of the noises, trying to talk herself out of what she suspected. As the seconds ticked, the sound became louder and she felt it surround her in all directions. A surge of panic set in as she began to realize. They were there with her. The Shadow Men.

Instantly, Charity took a step backwards and grabbed blindly for the birch tree. Her fingers closed only on open air. The whispers rose and fell in a chorus. She couldn't tell if it was a thousand voices or seven. Some of the voices were beautiful, filled with sunlight or the pleasant music of trickling streams. Others sounded like boxes of rusty nails being shaken or a car's angry engine right before it died. All were equally terrifying.

Charity gave up on trying to find the tree. She listened, hoping to get an idea of where they were, and if they were coming closer. The whispers made no sense, certainly not in English. They may not have been a language at all, but rather a mix of low senseless sounds perfectly calculated to scare a teenage girl out of her wits. It worked. All she could think of was the Shadow Man with the alligator eyes who had watched her so intently in the courtroom. It had wanted to touch her, to hurt her. If it hadn't been for Kadar's Game, she felt certain it would have made its move long ago. For all she knew it was ready to try. It could be standing beside her now.

Something grabbed a clump of her hair and tugged. Charity immediately reached back to yank it free. Her hair was released, but something smooth and slimy like a tentacle wrapped around her hand instead. The touch of something foreign against her skin snapped her self control. She shrieked. From below, something else grabbed hold of her skirt. It tried to pull her to the right. A hand closed around her free wrist, rough and oozy with scabs. Charity struggled against the things that held her. She tried to kick, but bony hands with claws rose out of the ground and seized her ankles. The whispers pounded into her skull, coming at her from all directions. The sound was everywhere, even inside her head.

"Stop it. Stop it!" she screamed. Immediately, the whispering ceased, cut off into a blanket of silence. The things that held her released her. She felt rather than saw the creatures pulling back into the darkness. Charity pulled her arms protectively to her chest and wiped the slime onto the front of her dress. Julian's ring burned like fire against her skin. The only sound was the thunderous roar of fear pounding in her ears. She couldn't breathe.

When pearly laughter broke the silence, she jumped. "Oh, don't tell me you still fear the Dark. Really, Charity, at sixteen that's not the most attractive quality."

At the sound of his voice, Charity let out her breath in a rush. It was amazing how relieved she felt at hearing the silken voice that she loathed.

"Fortunately," she gasped, trying to control her breathing, "attracting you isn't my biggest concern right now."

A light burst before her eyes, and there he was… sort of. A tent had appeared before her in the forest, made of what looked like crimson velvet, the flaps held back by soft golden ties. Kadar was inside, but looking at him was like trying to see through clear Jello. The gelatinous air at the opening of the tent was thick and heavy, blurring everything inside. Kadar sat cross-legged in the center of the tent, propped up with brilliant, multi-colored pillows. He looked as happy as she had ever seen him.

"Welcome to my tent," he said quite seriously, waving a hand. Charity rolled her eyes. Her heart rate was starting to return to normal. Was it crazy that she was grateful for his carefree almost childlike demeanor? Compared to the other Shadow Men, he was a treat. At least he looked human. For now. Charity stepped towards him, but the decrease in distance between them didn't help her see through the swirling mass of air separating them. Kadar continued to cheerfully wave at her from inside the tent. A twig snapped behind her and Charity automatically whirled around with a gasp. When she didn't see anything immediately rushing at her from the dark cover of trees, she turned back to face him with a sigh. He was chortling, evidently very amused.

"Don't you ever tire of playing with me?" she asked wearily.

Kadar appeared to consider this for a full five seconds, before shaking his head with a grin. "No. Darling, it's so difficult to unnerve you. I feel quite a sense of achievement when I do." He inclined his head respectfully at her, but Charity wasn't impressed with the compliment. She glanced behind her.

"They-"

"Are gone," Kadar finished soothingly. "Come on inside. You wanted to talk. I wait with rapt attention for your words." And indeed, reclining gracefully on the ground, he looked as eager as the Sultan awaiting Scheherazade's tales. Charity's eyes involuntarily roamed to his chest, left bare underneath his black vest. His skin gleamed with oil or sweat. Every muscle was sculpted as perfectly as if formed by Michelangelo. Charity stared for a moment and then met his eyes with a raised eyebrow. If he was trying to appeal to her romantic imagination, it didn't work. She had never forgotten what lay beneath that beautiful flesh.

He smiled, not at all perturbed. He slowly lay down to lean on his side, head resting in his right palm. With his left hand, he crooked his pointer finger and beckoned, inviting her inside. Charity didn't even hesitate. What else could she do? She stepped through the entrance into the tent, breath held, but it was as harmless as walking through warm mist. The moment she stepped all the way inside, the tent flaps closed behind her with a clang quite unexpected for fabric. Charity glanced behind her. An iron door, heavily fortified with locks, had replaced the cloth opening. She looked back at Kadar with a raised eyebrow.

"You're not very trusting, are you?" she muttered. "You know, you didn't have to do that. I came to find you, remember? And it's not like I have anywhere to run to in this hell place that you couldn't find me."

Kadar smiled at her. The expression could have been found on a marble angel. "It's not to keep you in. It's to keep everyone else out."

"Oh." Charity looked at him uncertainly as he rolled over onto his back to reach for a bowl of grapes that lay just behind him. Everyone meaning the other Shadow Men? If so, that was surprisingly thoughtful of him. If she was foolish enough to think that he did it for her protection, that is.

Kadar pulled two grapes from the bunch and tossed them into the air before catching them skillfully in his open mouth. He munched for a few seconds and then held the bowl towards her.

"Hungry?"

"Starving," she said before she could help it, but immediately bit her tongue. It wasn't until she saw the grapes that she realized her stomach was eating itself from the inside out from lack of nourishment. Still, she shook her head and pushed the bowl away to avoid temptation. Kadar looked at her through his long dark lashes. His eyes were gleeful.

"There's nothing wrong with them. That would be too easy."

"Whatever. I just can't."

"Your choice." Kadar continued to pull grapes off the bunch and eat them as Charity watched in silent agony. Once he had his fill, Kadar put the bowl down and pushed it away from him. He rolled back onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow. His golden eyes looked her over seriously, all sign of the laughing, disturbed child gone.

"Sit," he said, a clear command, not a suggestion. As Charity was here to get on his good side, she obeyed. She knelt gracefully on the ground beside him.

"They really can't get in here?" she asked, jerking her head back towards the iron door that stood menacingly guarding them from the outside world.

"I suppose," he said with an indifferent shrug. "They respect privacy, and I'd rather not be disturbed." While Charity frowned, trying to figure out what he meant by that, Kadar looked at her with an entirely different expression than she had ever seen from him before.

"Now why don't you tell me," he said slowly, his eyes roaming from the hem of her dress up to meet her eyes, "just what is it that you desire with me?"

0 0 0

Jenny stared at the icy screen, bleary-eyed. Her eyes had been glued to the crystalline surface for what seemed like hours, hoping and praying for some sign of her daughter. Images flashed at her, couples dancing, twisting and turning in each other's arms, like a period film with the cold sting of reality. Every time the "camera" swept over the ballroom and gave them a glimpse of the children - of Julie sadly looking up at Kevin as they danced, at David, frowning as he looked at the door Charity and Julian had disappeared through - Audrey let out a little choke of relief and Michael stopped sweating so profusely. Any minute, any moment now, they would have to show Charity waltzing back into the ballroom, smiling and unharmed. They couldn't be so cruel as to keep that one certainty from her.

But the minutes ticked on. Her daughter did not appear.

A slim figure plopped down next to Jenny, and a hard arm encircled her shoulders. "She's fine," Dee said matter-of-factly. "My girl is tougher than that Kadar twat and the rest of them combined." Although untrue, the statement was reassuring. Dee's velvety brown eyes were serious when Jenny looked at her, filled with all the love and confidence that Jenny lacked but needed desperately. She could not quite voice agreement, but she nodded once. Charity was strong. She knew it, and had to believe she would lead the group to safety.

Jenny tore her eyes from the screen and glanced behind her to the left corner of the room where Tom was sitting slouched in an armchair, staring at his folded hands. He had not moved from that position in the last hour. He had to see her looking at him, but he wouldn't meet her eyes. He blamed her; she could tell. And why not? She blamed herself. If only she had been wiser, a better mother, she could have prevented this. She should have talked to Charity and warned her. She should have found a way to sacrifice herself in Charity's place. If only, if only…

"I have to go to the bathroom," Jenny said dully. Without looking at any of them, she pulled herself to her feet.

"Jenny," Dee said in a shocked tone and tried to grab her hand, but Jenny pulled away.

"I'll only be a moment," she said, in a perfectly controlled voice.

Jenny calmly walked down the hall and into the bathroom. She shut the door behind her and thumbed in the lock. Only then was she free to break down. She sank to the floor, landing with an ungraceful plop onto the black and white bathroom tiles. Tears flowed down her cheeks in a river, and she felt the beginnings of sobs shake her chest. She pulled the lowest towel off the rack on the wall, a fluffy turquoise towel that she had just purchased a few days earlier, and buried her face in it, finally allowing herself to cry freely in a way she had been unable to do in front of the others. It was a bitter relief to bathe herself in the tears of her pain.

A knock came on the door. Three knocks and then a pause. Dee. In response, Jenny leaned into the tub and spun the knobs to turn on the shower. After a few seconds, Jenny heard footsteps retreating on the hardwood floor in the hallway. Dee's intentions were good, but Jenny needed to be alone. The ache that took over her body was all-consuming. She couldn't share this guilt with her loved ones. It was something that she had to face on her own.

It was her fault, she realized, always her fault. She had opened the door, setting the Shadow Men loose on her grandfather all those years ago. She had bought the Game and nearly killed all her friends. She had done something to Julian, subconsciously, maybe, but enough to make him follow her and want her and try to ruin the lives of all those around her just so that he could possess her. She hadn't been honest with Charity about her past, failing to warn her of the dangers that sometimes lurked in the dark. Thinking about it, Jenny couldn't breathe. She couldn't breathe.

Jenny cried, letting it all out, trying to drown the pain that was eating the inside of her heart. When she was finally able to lift her head from the thoroughly damp towel, she had no idea how much time had passed. She had only stopped crying because she had no more tears left to spill. She sat for another minute on the cold floor before slowly getting to her feet. Her body physically hurt. Jenny wandered over to the sink and turned the knob for cold water. She leaned down and splashed several handfuls of water against her face to wipe away the tear stains and then dried herself off with a fresh, pink hand towel. She glanced up at her reflection, but the mirror above the sink was steamed over from the hot shower that was still pouring behind her. Numbly, Jenny reached out and wiped away the condensation.

The sight that met her eyes hit her with a jolt. For wasn't her own face that she saw staring back at her in the mirror.

It was Julian.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen**

"You have got to be kidding me," Charity said.

The setup made sense now. Kadar, lying on his side on top of a pile of plush, colorful cushions, his head in his hand, looking at her through long dark lashes with eyes aflame. The tent, the grapes. The iron door ensuring nobody from the outside could get in. Charity was suddenly glad her stomach was empty. If it wasn't, she would have thrown up all over him.

"What is this?" she demanded, leaning away from him in horror. She could take the taunting, the insane childish giggles and the odd stab at courtesy, but not this attempt at seduction. He couldn't possibly be serious.

Kadar widened his golden eyes semi-innocently. "Just trying to give you a little piece of what you wanted. I thought you had a Shadow Man thing. Was I wrong? Am I to take it it's actually a _him_ thing? I see."

Before her eyes, Kadar's features blurred and morphed until it was Julian looking at her longingly. "If that's how it is… is this a little more to your taste?"

"You're disgusting," she said automatically, but she felt her cheeks warm. It was a problem. If this was how she was going to react when faced with Julian (or some semblance of him) from now on, she was in trouble.

From the satisfied smile she received, she knew Kadar-Julian saw the blush. He laughed and clucked his tongue. "Little liar. That's not the emotion you felt when you were kissing him. If you want a replay, I'm happy to oblige. Free of charge."

"I want. To talk. To Kadar. _Talk_," Charity said slowly through gritted teeth.

"You're no fun." With a pout and a little puff of gold-tinted smoke, Kadar resumed his "human" form. He sat up, looking disgruntled. "Well then, what _did _you want to see me about?"

"For starters, I'd like my clothes back."

Kadar smirked, looking her up and down. "What, you're telling me you don't like my dress? But I designed it just for you!" When she only glared at him, he sighed and waved a hand to the left corner of the tent behind her. "Be my guest."

Charity looked over her shoulder. Her familiar jean shorts and black shirt were folded neatly in the corner with her sandals resting on top. She scrambled to her feet and went over to inspect them. He hadn't bothered to remove the dirt stains, but they were _her _clothes. Her eyeballs prickled. She lifted her hands to press them against her closed eyelids. It was ridiculous how emotional she was getting over some old clothes. But at least they were something solid and familiar.

"Thank you," she mumbled, gathering her clothes into her arms. Resisting the urge to press her dirty sandals to her lips, she turned back to face Kadar. When ten seconds passed without him moving or saying a word, she said, "Um, can I have a moment?"

"Like I said. Be my guest." Kadar leaned back slightly, his hands folded behind his head. His look was lecherous.

Charity threw a sandal at him. It hit him on the side of the head and bounced onto a fluffy purple pillow with gold trim beside him. He gave her a pained look. "Now, really, is that necessary? You know, my girl, I think you have a temper problem, always throwing clothes at people."

"More like a _you_ problem."

"Watch it, Charity," Kadar said quietly, and she choked back the words she had been about to snap at him. The longer she met his eyes, the more she felt her righteous anger die away. He looked her over coolly. When he spoke again, he sounded regretful.

"I've spoiled you. I think somewhere in the course of our evening together, you've forgotten the dynamic of our relationship here. I have been patient with you, but remember that I am not always so. Your time is running short. Don't waste it with foolish displays."

Charity swallowed. He was right. Whenever she spoke with him, she always forgot who had the most power. If it was his whim, he could have her or her friends killed in a second. She had to remember why she was there, and try to stay on his good side. "I know."

"So we have an understanding." It wasn't a question, but Charity nodded. Kadar looked at her thoughtfully and then nodded as well. "Good. Now sit down, and we'll have a real conversation."

Charity dropped her clothes to the ground and went back to kneel across from him. She folded her hands on her thighs and kept her back straight. She was determined to keep her face expressionless so as not to give him any excuses to accuse her of further disobedience. Kadar ignored her. He lifted an orange furry pillow to reveal a tea set underneath. A steady cloud of steam was emitting from the kettle's spout. Kadar made quite a show of overturning two white porcelain cups and filling them with tea from the kettle.

"This tea," he said solemnly as he poured, "is very special. I got it from a wonderful boy's tea shop in China." He handed Charity one of the cups and she took it. She thought it best not to refuse him. The cup was pleasantly warm against her fingertips. She brought it up to her nose and sniffed the tea inside. The tea was a rich, clear brown. Her mouth watered for it.

Kadar continued, "He had the most beautiful, most musical voice you could imagine. I could have listened to him speak for hours. Sometimes I did. Until I ate his heart." He frowned down at his cup for a moment before shrugging and drinking deeply. Charity put her own cup hastily back on the ground.

"So, um, listen… about why I'm here…"

"Oh, I know why you're here. You don't have to explain yourself."

Charity throat was suddenly dry. She swallowed several times before she was able to speak again. "You _know_?"

Kadar smirked and took another long sip of his tea. His golden eyes mocked her. "Julian, of course. You want to learn more about him after your little interaction. I must say, the boy does have a powerful affect on the ladies. But I have to warn you, darling. You're probably wasting your time."

"Oh, right." She laughed shortly. "Julian." Her thoughts whirled in circles. Maybe Kadar didn't know why she had come. Maybe he didn't care. Either way, she could use what he thought was her weakness to her advantage.

"You're right," she said, lowering her eyes as if ashamed. She stared down into her tea cup. The swirling ghost of her reflection was mirrored back at her.

"I want to know how it happened," she said slowly. "Not only him. Kaori and the others too. I have to know how they became like they are."

"Because you think I'll slip up and reveal how you can save them?" Kadar sneered. "Good try, Cherry berry, but I can see right through you."

"No." Charity looked up and met his eyes seriously. "Because I want to become like them. I want to be with him. And I want you to tell me how."

0 0 0

"Julian…"

Jenny felt her legs tremble with equal parts confusion, surprise, and something very old and familiar. It was him, right there in the mirror before her. Julian, unchanged since the last time she had seen him. Jenny's blood pounded at her temples. Her ears rang. She saw black and white spots. Just in time, she realized that she was about to faint, and she leaned forward to grab the tiled counter in front of her.

_I'm going crazy_, she thought wildly. _It's just my reflection. It's only because I want him so much to be here that I'm seeing him. He can't be real. _She closed her eyes and waited a few seconds before opening them again. She braced herself for disappointment, but he was still there when she looked.

_I'm not crazy_! she thought, her heart racing.

"You're really here," she said in wonder.

"Evidently." His voice was very cold.

"And you… you can hear me?"

Julian said nothing, but the muscles around his mouth tightened. His eyes were the only part of him that moved, as they looked her over, slowly searching. His look wasn't especially kind. Jenny put up a hand to cover her mouth. She began to cry again, fat tears leaking through when she had thought none were left. The look of disgust that covered Julian's face was immediate.

"She must have been joking. _This_ is what I'm supposed to have been in love with?" Pure contempt and disapproval radiated from the mirror. But the longer Julian watched her cry, the more pained became his expression.

"Don't," he said finally, abruptly. "I've never seen your daughter cry, even through everything she's faced tonight. I find it hard to believe that any mother of hers would break down at the slightest fear or surprise."

Jenny took a deep breath to calm her shaking. She pressed her hands to her closed eyelids for a few seconds, and then wiped away her tears. When she looked at him next, she was smiling. "It's not fear. I'm just so happy to see you."

Julian's face was as unmoving as a wood carving, although she could tell by a flicker of his eyes that he was taken aback. "Why should you be happy to see me?"

"You were dead," Jenny said, stepping closer to the mirror until she was leaning directly against the counter. "I thought I would never see you again. Outside of my dreams."

"That's touching. Really, it is. If you felt that way, you shouldn't have sent me to my grave."

His eyes were so cold. Jenny felt as if the ice-daggered glares he sent her way could pierce right through her. "You really don't remember," she said unhappily. The look he gave her was one that a person might give a bug, something small and disgusting that nevertheless must be dealt with. The comparison was not flattering. He believed the lies Kadar had fed him about her. She had felt that despite everything some part of him must remember her and would respond to her if faced with her again. If this was true, his eyes were revealing nothing.

"Why did you come here? Is it about Charity?" she asked, trying to keep her face calm even though her heart was beating heavily with expectation. Some of her anxiety about her daughter must have leaked through, for the longer Julian met her eyes, the more his stony expression seemed to crack. Just when Jenny thought her presence was doing him good, a knock came at the door. Four raps and then a pause. A few seconds later it happened again.

Jenny swore. Julian's eyebrows raise in… it couldn't be amusement? "Could you hide?" she asked.

Now he just looked blank. "What?"

"Only for a few seconds. Step out of the way so she doesn't see you, and I'll be right back. Please, don't leave." Jenny didn't wait to see if he obeyed her. She stepped over to the door. Before she opened it, she glanced over her shoulder. Julian had gone.

She had the words ready on her lips as she opened the door to tell Dee that she was fine and that she needed another moment to herself. When she saw her husband, the words died.

"Tom," she said, surprised. She didn't know what to say. He had been keeping her at a distance, pushing her away all evening. Had he come to apologize?

"I just saw her," he said. Relief flooded into Jenny's body. She felt she might fall to the floor again. She gripped the door handle to hold herself upright.

"Where? How is she? What happened?"

"She's fine," he said. However Charity might be, Jenny saw that Tom was clearly not fine. His eyes were bloodshot red and a sickly pallor had taken over his normally tanned and handsome face. A powerful wave of emotion rushed into her. Part of her wanted to leap forward into his arms, to comfort him. But the other part was inextricably tied to Julian in the mirror. She didn't move.

"She returned to the ballroom. She spoke with David and Julie for a few minutes, and then they went outside. They split up."

"Is Charity…?"

"It's only showing David and Julie right now. They're wandering around outside a forest. Charity went in alone. But she was okay. She looked healthy. She's alive."

"Thank God," said Jenny. Slow tremors were taking over her body - relief shook her worse than fear. Charity was safe. But only for now. She was powerfully aware of that.

"Come back to the living room," said Tom. He held out a hand. Jenny looked at it. Surely she needed to comfort her husband, but she felt the best thing she could do at the moment was go back and talk to Julian. And Tom mustn't know. He had never been exactly at ease when she spoke of Julian. The knowledge that Julian was hanging out in his bathroom mirror would do little to comfort him.

"Soon," Jenny said. "I'm just thinking. I need another few minutes."

Tom stared at her. It took Jenny a moment to realize why, and she quickly rearranged her face. Happiness was pouring out of her, radiating from every cell in her body at the thought of Julian. Oh, she _couldn't_ tell Tom. He wouldn't understand that her happiness was not for Julian himself but for the hope he gave her that he could save Charity. She gave him a pained look and reached out to squeeze his hand.

"I know how hard this is for you. It is for me, too. But I need to be alone right now. Please understand."

Tom nodded. Her words hadn't made him any less miserable. "I'll let you know if anything changes. You might want to turn off that shower. Water bill."

"Right," Jenny said, giving him a crooked, faux embarrassed smile.

Tom turned and walked a few paced down the hall. He looked back. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Jenny said, and shut the door. She had to shake off the expression on Tom's face. He had looked so lost, like little boy Tom whom she had kissed and hugged through multiple hurts when they were children. She knew she should be with him. But all she could think about was the fact that Julian was waiting for her. She turned eagerly to the mirror.

"Julian? It's okay now. I'm back. Julian?" For a frightened heartbeat, Jenny waited.

"So that's the guy? Bit of a pitiful display of a man, isn't he?"

Jenny sighed, all the good feelings she had experienced earlier rushing back as Julian stepped into view. She wasn't even upset that he had insulted her husband. Julian had never liked Tom.

"You've seen Charity," she said eagerly. At the mention of the name, Julian's sarcasm dropped away. He nodded.

"And?"

"She told me some things. Some of it made sense. The fact that I _don't _remember who I am. Before talking with her, I hadn't wondered why. But the things she said… and the way I felt…" Julian stopped abruptly. His eyes were back on her in that searching way he had first looked at her. "I came to test a theory."

Jenny's heart was beating uncomfortably loudly. "And?"

"Well, for one, I don't think you're capable of killing anybody."

The rush of emotion that came into Jenny filled her like a torrent. "_Never_. I couldn't have, even when you were being horrible, even when I thought you'd killed Summer. That last day, I would have done anything to save you." She was crying again, the tears rolling down her cheeks uncalled for. A look of pain immediately flashed into Julian's eyes.

"Please don't cry," he said, his voice much gentler than the first time he had demanded it. "I can't bear to see it." He looked surprised at himself, as if he hadn't known it was true until he said it.

Jenny lifted her head. She didn't bother to wipe away the tears covering her face. "Don't you know why?"

Julian blinked. A moment passed while he looked unsettled, and then a look of smugness appeared. "Well, I imagine it's because you look like your daughter. I see it now. She wasn't wrong. It's those eyes…"

Jenny caught her breath, heart fluttering. He was remembering her! But he wasn't finished. With a raised eyebrow and a mocking look, he said, "And since I want your daughter so much, it's only natural that I'd feel sorry for you."

"You… what?" So this is what it felt like when worlds collided. The crushing feeling of unreality. The smooth dagger of pain that impaled her heart. And Jenny felt something she had never expected to feel for Charity in the course of the evening. Jealousy. Part of her irrationally envied Charity any position she had gotten herself into that allowed her to be close to Julian. To be wanted by him.

"But don't worry, Mom. She turned me down. I offered her my protection, but the stupid girl was too proud to take it when I didn't extend the invitation to her precious Davy."

Jenny was surprised at the anger that arose from her shock. She directed it all towards him. "I'm glad! An eternity with you would be worse than any hell your comrades could dream up."

Her words seemed to strike Julian with physical force. He did appear momentarily stunned, but the look that returned was more cold, more dangerous, more snakelike than ever. The lazy, satisfied smile he presented next filled her with chills. "This was after the kiss, of course. At that time, I felt she would have been very willing to do whatever I asked. Those lips, that scent. I can still taste her." He paused and breathed in with eyes closed. "She knew how to use that body. The girl's no stranger to love, if you catch my drift."

Jenny was stunned. Too much to shake or cry. She just looked at Julian, at the malicious pleasure leaking from him at seeing her expression. When she spoke, her voice was soft. "Are you trying to hurt me? Is this revenge because I didn't choose you?"

"Should everything be about you, Jenny? Okay, fine. Let's play pretend. Suppose the both of you are right, and in some long ago other life I was in love with you. If so, that was a long time ago. The truth is that now I want strong over weak. Twilight over sunrise. Beauty over… age." He paused and laughed cruelly. "I can't put it any more delicately than that, old woman."

His words stung. Jenny could hardly breathe. She had never felt her age, but with Julian looking at her distastefully it hit her with force. She knew she was beautiful in a way that was completely free of vanity. She had been blessed to escape aging signs like wrinkles and graying hair. Audrey liked to good-naturedly grumble about it. Tom's business friends envied him. Their own wives were beautiful, but theirs was an expressionless plastic beauty that only the best money could buy. Charity's friends liked to annoy her by referring to Jenny as her older sister. None of it mattered. Not if she was ugly in Julian's eyes.

Jenny turned and presented him with her back. Not because she couldn't stand to look at him, but because she didn't want him to have to look at her. At forty-two, she could have easily passed for ten years younger, but she would never be sixteen again. It was right for him to love Charity, if he did, and keep whatever memories he might still have of her buried forever.

"I loved you," Jenny said dully. "I almost told you once, near the end, but it was like you were afraid to hear it. Because by that point it was over. We both knew it, and it couldn't have helped anything by saying it. All I'm asking now, if you have any feelings at all for my daughter, is that you save her. Maybe you think you can still persuade her to stay with you, but I know my daughter. She's stubborn. We have that in common."

Jenny turned back to him. His face was impassive, stony-eyed again. He was so beautiful. Everything about him, from his features to his eyes to that snow white hair falling perfectly around his face. Jenny looked at his mouth, from which he had said so many wonderful things to her in the past…and more. She forced herself to look into his eyes. "You can save her. I don't matter. I never have. Forget that it's me who's asking if you must. Just bring her home safe."

Jenny lifted a hand and placed it directly against the glass where his heart would be. She had felt it beat rapidly against her in the long ago past. If only she could appeal to it again. Her eyes felt swollen and soggy with tears, but she was too weary now to allow them to leak through.

"Please," she said simply.

0 0 0

"Please," Charity said, annoyed. "Please, stop. That wasn't supposed to be funny."

Kadar was on his back, literally rolling on the ground with mirth as his body shook with whoops of laughter. Charity wondered if she should slap him to end the fit of hysteria, but decided against it. Eventually, he calmed himself down and sat back up, making a great show of wiping tears out of his eyes.

"Oh, Charity, you are wonderful. If I didn't know you were such a kidder, I might have believed you."

Charity was getting mad again. She couldn't help it. "I'm perfectly serious," she snapped.

"A kidder and a liar," Kadar said, giving her a knowing look. His lips were twitching as if he could break down again at a sudden notice. "We saw you, honey, on the balcony with J-man. We all did. It gave us quite a stir." He fanned himself and sighed. Charity glowered at him.

"And what was it you said? That the whole love prisoner thing was a turnoff? Very strong words, my dear. It was quite a generous offer. He wasn't even going to require you change. So excuse me if I'm skeptical now that you'd willingly lose your soul and memory and everything that makes you _you_ just to be around him."

"Okay, fine. I lied. But I do want to know. That's why I came to see you."

"I know. There's no need for trickery. You have but to ask."

Charity sucked in her lips and wet them before speaking. "Please, tell me."

His smile was angelic. "What would you like to know?"

"Everything. Start from the beginning."

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the Earth…"

"Kadar! I'm serious."

"…and man and woman knew each other. And it was good. But then the snake came. That damned, slippery serpent who got them expelled from paradise."

Charity caught her breath. His voice and his cold glittering eyes gave her a queer feeling. She wouldn't have been surprised to see a serpent tongue flicker out from between his lips. "Are you telling me something true?"

"Who knows? That's always the conundrum, isn't it? What is life, where did we all come from. I couldn't tell you the origins of my kind any more truthfully than yours. I know how we come to be, yes. But not who or what first initiated our creation."

Kadar reached into the recesses of his silk trousers and produced a tall, thin, black candle. He set it on the ground between them. It balanced upright of its own accord. He cupped his left palm over it, and when he removed his hand the candle was lit with a black flame. The charcoal grey smoke arising from the fire was much thicker and darker than from an ordinary flame. As Charity watched, an image appeared in the center of the smoke. A long stick of gleaming wood, with strange markings covering it.

"What is it?"

"What you were asking. In the beginning and all. You're looking, my peach, at the instrument of our creation. The runestave."

Charity tried to make her face as blank and dimly interested as possible. Her heart was making a racket in her chest. This was what David had been talking about! "What is it, like a wand?" she asked.

Kadar looked pained. "It is life itself for the Shadow Men. One of my elders says it was carved from the roots of Yggdrasill itself. I think he's just trying to make himself sound important by speculation. Those of us who were ancient enough to possibly know the truth have long since faded away."

The runestave slowly twisted and turned in the smoke, drifting in the air. It was mesmerizing, watching the image of it dance above the candle flame. Charity wanted to touch it, even though she knew thrusting her fingers into the smoke was a bad idea. She sat on her hands to stop herself. Kadar watched her with a smirk.

"The runestave is life. Those carvings are the names of the Shadow Men. When one of us is called into being, our name is carved onto it, along with all the thought and intent of the creator. We just spring out of thin air. Kind of exciting, really."

"And if you're already human?"

"You carve the name all the same, and a bit of our nature fills the being. It's not a bad gig, really. You gain immortality. You just sort of have to forget who you are. Want to see a trick?" Without waiting for an answer, Kadar reached over to Charity and pulled something out from behind her ear like a grandfather performing for a seven year old child. Lying in his palm was an egg. A brilliant, beautiful blue egg that could have been made of sapphire the way it shone, except that the shell looked delicate.

"The problem with humans," Kadar said, "is that they carry an awful lot of baggage around with them. So to be able to fully play with them, we simply have to… remove it."

The egg sparkled with the light of the candle. Charity knew, absolutely, without a doubt, what was contained within that egg. She knew that shade of blue, brilliant and unmatched in any other natural substance on earth. "That's Julian's…"

"Yes. Well, Julian is a special case. This is not his human memories, but his Shadow Man memories. I think we've kept them from him long enough, don't you?" Kadar looked at her slyly. "Want to do the honors?"

He held out the egg to her. Charity took it in her palm, feeling the warmth it radiated against her skin. She held it for a moment, clasping her fingers around it. Inside, if Kadar wasn't messing with her, were the memories the Shadow Men had been hiding from Julian about her mother. If she smashed it, there was no turning back for either of them.

"I thought you didn't want him to know."

"Well, it doesn't matter now. He's already beginning to figure some of it out. Thanks to you. Go on."

Charity closed her eyes and smashed the egg against the ground.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen**

Charity smashed the egg against the ground; the shell collapsed beneath her palm. Blue light, with the force of a mini-supernova, burst from beneath her fingers. The color was the exact shade of Julian's eyes. She pulled her hand from the fragments of broken shell. Her palm itched and throbbed as if she had been burnt, but the impact left no visible mark. The light shot through the tent, coloring everything inside with Julian's unique, indescribable blue. She flung her other hand before her eyes to protect them. The light lingered for a moment, filling the tent with its intensity, and then abruptly it was gone. Charity removed her hand, but the color stayed with her, replaying itself against the underside of her eyelids.

"That was fun," Kadar said. His knees were hugged to his chest. He rocked back and forth. "Want to do it again?"

Charity shook her head. She was shaking. At the moment of the impact, she had felt something rush through her. For a second, she had been another person. Foreign emotions washed away her own. Rather than happiness or relief at being set free, she had felt anger, black and deadly. It had left her trembling and lost, as her own body and mind tried to remember who she was. She had never felt such fury.

"He's going to kill you," she said.

Kadar didn't look particularly perturbed. "He'll try, but he won't succeed. I think he'll be plenty occupied wallowing in the memories of the sweet misery your mother provided, now that he remembers it."

Charity didn't argue. She had felt Julian's anger, and knew what he was capable of. She was glad she wasn't Kadar. She changed the subject.

"Is that how you do it with them too?"

"And the award for the vaguest question of the year goes to Charity Locke."

"You know what I mean."

"I know. And the answer is yes, basically." Kadar suddenly looked shifty. "I could show them to you if you wanted."

Charity nodded. She didn't trust herself to speak, lest she became too eager.

Kadar smiled beautifully. "Just say the magic word."

0 0 0

"Please," Jenny repeated. She didn't cry; she didn't press her hands together in a plea. She would have gotten down on her knees and begged him unabashedly, except that she knew it would make Julian respect her less. She simply looked at him, letting her eyes convey everything that she felt. Her love for her daughter. Her own trust in him. The Julian she remembered, who could be kind at unexpected moments, still lived inside him somewhere. She had to believe that part of him could be revived.

And it seemed to be working. Julian looked at her as if he couldn't look away. His eyes were fixed on her own in a way that was free of his old arrogance. He had always been so pale, but now he appeared white as the ceramic tiles beneath her feet. She had rarely seen him so shaken. The effect quite struck her. Except for rare moments during her own Games, he had always maintained a cool, merciless distance, the embodiment of a creature of the night set out to take what it wanted. But there were the rare moments when his emotions had gotten a hold of him, when he had seemed just as flawed and human as herself. The real Julian, she had felt, free from pretense.

His eyes abruptly flicked away from her own. "I do know you," he said quietly. He didn't sound happy about it.

"Yes," Jenny said. Her hand on the mirror clenched into a fist. If only she could reach through the mirror and actually touch him, she could finish what her eyes had started. _Please, please remember me_, she pleaded silently. Almost instantly, a change came over Julian. A look of acute pain crossed his face, and he dropped his head into his hands. A slight tremor shook his shoulders. Jenny waited, her heart thumping anxiously. With a moan, he lifted his head and looked at her. For an instant his eyes flashed a brighter blue than usual. It was as if a light had sparked behind his irises, and with it came a complete change of expression. The look on his face as he looked her over this time was one of discovery. He was mask-free as a child, his face painted only with raw emotion and wonder.

He said, "Jenny," just her name, but the sound of his voice sent a trembling through her own shoulders. She knew as she looked at him that somehow he remembered her. His eyes gave everything away.

She had kept it buried inside her, the secret memory of the way Julian had looked at her in the past, eyes burning blue with longing and love. And the way it had made her feel - alive, as if she herself burned a little brighter than ordinary mortals to be able to inspire such passion. It was returning now. Tom was her heart. She had loved him since she was seven; she always would. With him, she had built a home and created a daughter she loved beyond life. She would always be grateful for the comfort she had with him. But if she were to be honest with herself, it had always been Julian who had ignited her soul.

If it weren't for that disappointing sheet of glass separating them, either Jenny or Julian would have reached for the other. As it was, there was nothing to do but gaze.

0 0 0

"What magic word is that?" Charity said impatiently. "You play by completely different rules down here in the ninth circle of hell, or wherever we are. How am I supposed to know what you mean?"

"Ah, but then you'd be frozen up to your chin or munched eternally by Lucifer. I don't think your situation's quite so bad as that. Be grateful, child, where you can."

Charity gritted her teeth. It hurt her internally to say it, but she set out a simple, polite, "Please."

"That's the ticket." Kadar picked up the tea kettle and waved his other hand over it. In its place appeared an egg carton, the same light brown she saw in every grocery store. He opened the Styrofoam lid and the eggs inside shone like an array of jewels. The first egg that caught her attention was the familiar blue of Julian's eyes, although the brilliance was dimmed somehow, more like a natural eye color. His wasn't the only egg. When Charity glanced at the egg next to Julian's, tears stung at her eyes. She felt as if she had been struck in the chest. The egg was a medium brown with a glimmer of gold. Just like Kaori's eyes. The egg diagonal from it was a light blue, pleasant and clear as the sky. Halena. Another egg was the color of sand, just like Ryan's hair. The last one, the black egg, was Kevin in personality as well as hair and eyes. Most disturbing were the three plain white eggs at the other end of the carton. She had no doubts as to whom they were intended for.

"Uh uh uh," Kadar said happily, pulling the carton behind his back when Charity made a lunge for it. "These are not for you. Why break them and give them their souls back when we've just begun having fun with them?"

Charity clenched her fists in frustration. "I just wanted to see them," she said slowly.

"I'm sure you did. Right before smashing them. But it's not nearly time for that yet."

"Like you ever would."

"No, really." Kadar looked slightly offended. "That's the best part. When we make a human into a Shadow Person, their rush of power is intoxicating They become everything their souls have never allowed them to be. Forceful. Ruthless. Completely _carpe diem_. But give them their souls back, and what do you get? Shivering, crying, worthless lumps of flesh screaming regret for everything they've done. It's quite fun, really."

Charity looked at the carton peeking out from behind Kadar's back. The thought was terrifying - having no control and then being forced to face your actions. Immortality wasn't such a prize if that was the consequence.

"And then we kill them. It gets boring rather quickly. The Kill is the exciting part. There are so many ways to do it. Impaling. Crucifixion. Tearing flesh strip by strip-"

"Stop," Charity pleaded. She felt nauseous. Her head spun.

Kadar's face became suddenly calm. He looked coldly sane. "That's what awaits you and your friends, you know. Eventually. After you're all turned, we'll get rid of the spares. We'll even let you help. And then we'll set you , your Davy, and Julie loose on your parents and the other original players to track and haunt them the rest of their days. And once you've worn out your usefulness, we'll kill you."

He was so matter-of-fact. Charity shut her eyes to calm the retch that was rising in her throat. Nobody could say that the Shadow Men didn't hold grudges. Her mind fixed on the blue egg behind Kadar's back, a stable point to calm her spinning thoughts. "You didn't kill Julian," she said.

Kadar's eyes glinted orange for a second. "Not yet," he admitted, "and for quite a long time my elders were not inclined to." He reached over to the black flame of the candle and cupped his palm around it. When he pulled away, a pale shadow of Julian stood in the flames, slowly swirling. His arms were folded as he glared into space.

"They plucked him from an already miserable existence because he was beautiful. The beautiful ones are the most fun to play with, because its interesting to see how long that beauty holds up when exposed to shadow. When they made him into a Shadow Man, he was as fierce and cruel as any of us, taking revenge for his tortured life. He was different from the beginning. Most are little more than zombies following our orders, but Julian retained his brilliance. He was inventive, devising Games more clever and cruel than even my eldest elders. They were impressed. So they let him stay."

"Just because he was a bigger jerk than the usual convert?" Charity asked, a little annoyed at hearing how good Julian had been at being bad.

"Only at first. They would have tired of that eventually. No, it was the loneliness that made him interesting."

Charity's eyes were drawn to Julian's image, rotating, expressionless in the black flame. Even though she knew Kadar was baiting her, she asked, "Loneliness?"

"Right. Over time it was as if some of his humanity came back to him, just enough to provide a perpetual longing for something just out of his reach. He took to watching the human world from the Shadows more than the rest of them, longing to be a part of it without realizing he ever had been. For centuries this continued. When he took girls, he wanted something from them, but never got it. He disposed of them just as cruelly as the others before them."

Kadar stopped and looked at her, his golden eyes reflecting the black flame. His mouth curved upwards in the tiniest of smiles. "That was until the day little Jenny Thornton crept into her grandfather's basement and opened a door she really should have left alone."

0 0 0

A waterfall of tears cascaded down Jenny's cheeks. She didn't move her eyes from Julian's. It could have been a few seconds or hours that their eyes were locked together, each of them unmoving, simply looking. But then urgency jabbed Jenny back to the present. She blinked to break the spell. Charity wasn't safe yet.

"Jenny," Julian said again. He shook his head, looking pained. "I don't believe this."

Little bubbles of laughter rose in Jenny's chest. She choked to hold them back. It was Julian. He really knew her. "That you would ever see me so aged?" she asked lightly.

"No. That I'd ever forget you." Julian's eyes swept back to her, and she felt a little thrill as she recognized the tender look he gave her, unchanged in twenty-plus years. "You're as beautiful to me now as you were at sixteen, at five. I truly apologize for what I said. I didn't mean a word of it."

"Forget it. It doesn't matter," Jenny said.

"I didn't forget you, though. Not completely. I remembered you through your daughter. She's amazing. So like you, and so not alike." He sounded as if he was musing to himself rather than talking to her. He looked away for a moment and shook his head, caught with memory. Jenny felt a small pang of jealousy again, although considerably dulled from before. It was more like a sweet reminder of times past.

"She's stronger than I am," Jenny agreed, smiling. Charity never gave up. Undoubtedly she was snarking Kadar now, with little regard for the danger it put her in.

"You're just as strong in a different way. Charity is bold and fiercely passionate. Yours is a more gentle protectiveness for those around you, a quiet strength. I suppose she's more like myself."

"It's right that you should love her."

"Love her?" Julian looked surprised and thoughtful. "I do, in a way. But you know that my heart, what there is of it, solely belongs to you."

Jenny was finished crying, but his words swept her away in an ocean of emotion. "I know."

Silence fell over them. Julian didn't quite look at her. Finally, he said, "Do you ever wonder what it would have been like, if I had been able to stay in your world?"

Jenny couldn't speak for a moment, knowing she shouldn't. She looked at him helplessly, seeing his gaze fixed on her intently, a longing in his eyes. "Every day. But I wouldn't change a thing," she added, "that would keep me from the life I have now. From Charity."

"I wouldn't want to keep it from you," he said wearily. Julian looked so tired. Tired of playing Games. Tired of speaking. Tired of living. Jenny felt a sharp stab of pity for him. Were it not for the glass separating them, she would have put her arms around him.

She said a little desperately, "I would have saved you if I could have. I would have done anything-"

"It doesn't matter. Let's not dwell of 'ifs.' I have to leave," he said dully.

"Why?" Jenny was surprised. She didn't want him to go. She simply wanted to look, and remember and feel.

"To save Charity. You were begging me for it a moment ago. If I can give a final gift to you, it's that. I doubt they'll let me live long after I succeed."

"You could come back with her," Jenny said irrationally. Julian laughed shortly.

"Would you really want that? You can speak to me safely now across worlds, but if I were beside you, I would not give up until I had you once again. That is if I somehow managed to enter your world. If Charity's right and I am - I was once - like you, carving me off the runestave and unmaking me as a Shadow Man would send me back to the time and place from where I was taken. I did it once to a boy I pitied. A little Italian prince from the Renaissance. They weren't pleased with me."

"I'd imagine not," Jenny said. She was glad he'd changed the topic, for her heart was still thumping after his speech. Even now, after all this time, he still wanted her, and would take her from Tom if he could.

_Would he be able to?_ she wondered.

I'll never know.

"This is farewell. Again." Julian inclined his head. Jenny nodded tersely. She reached up to the mirror to touch where his cheek would be. For an instant she imagined she could almost feel his silky flesh against her skin, and then he was gone, and she was left giving fruitful tears to the cold tile around her.

0 0 0

Charity's head ached as Kadar recounted the story of Julian and her mother in much greater detail than she wished to hear. Every whisper, touch and lingering kiss, he told her about with bright eyes. She listened patiently for something that could help her, but nothing came until the very end.

"He thought you were carving him off the runestave, that you'd kill him. But that's not what you did."

"Of course not. That would send him home, wriggling and alive. His egg would crack and he'd be whole again. Not that the place we took him from was anything to aspire to, but it'd be better than being tortured in the ninth circle of hell, as you put it."

Charity fought to keep her expression neutral. In truth, her heart was racing again. She'd found it! The way to save her friends. Cutting their names from the runestave would send them home… if only she could find it.

Something must have shone through her face, for Kadar scowled and blew out the candle. The whirling shadowy Julian disappeared. "That's enough story-telling for tonight. The next Game has already started."

Ice touched Charity's spine. She had almost forgotten David and Julie, wandering out there somewhere in the wilderness. "What?" she said fearfully.

"You'd better run if you want to catch him," Kadar said. "It will be the last time you ever see him."

Charity leapt to her feet. David. They were doing David next. And here she was wasting time, having a tea party and chatting with Kadar.

"Go," he said quietly, unmoving. The iron door behind her clanked and swung open. Flinging one last scornful look at Kadar, Charity turned. She left her clothes behind as she raced out the iron door of the tent. There was no time. She may already be too late.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty**

Something shrieked in the night. The sound made Charity halt, her cheeks flushed from racing through the trees. She strained her ears, but she could scarcely hear over the drumming of her heart. The sound came once more, and Charity started running again. It sounded like a bird calling to the night. She hoped it was a bird.

She wanted to open her own mouth and scream. She wanted to desperately call David's name until he answered her. Everywhere she turned she saw the same trees, twisted and bent, growing haphazardly along the forest ground. The moon shone just enough light to guide her path so she didn't knock herself out against a tree trunk.

What was David afraid of? He was her best friend, and she couldn't even hazard a guess. He had always seemed so fearless to her, solid and true. He was her hero.

Gunshot. Charity stopped moving. She steadied herself against a nearby tree, and her fingers dug into a moss-like substance covering it. Two more shots came, sounding like cracks of a whip. The source wasn't very far away. Charity leaned against the tree. She was having an extraordinarily difficult time breathing. Was this how the Shadow Men were going to finish them off? So uncreative, so trite…

"Charity?"

Something leapt out of the tree and landed on the ground beside her. Charity jumped away from the tree and stuffed a hand in her mouth to stifle the scream. A dark figure reached out and grabbed her shoulder, but she jerked away and turned, preparing to run.

"No, Char, it's us. It's okay."

"David?" Unexpectedly, Charity found that she was crying. She covered her mouth with both hands, feeling her tears drip onto her fingers. Her relief was so strong that all the strength was drained from her body. She couldn't move, so he came to her. After a moment of her soaking the fabric on his shoulder, she lifted her head and said, "Don't do that to me."

"Sorry." He sounded sheepish. "I know you didn't expect to find us hiding in trees."

"I'd rather have you hiding in trees than facing whatever's out there. Is it _shooting_ at us?"

"I don't think it's close enough. Probably just reminding me of what's coming." David sounded very grim. "It's me this time," he added. "I used to have nightmares like this, of being hunted. I read a story when I was a kid about a rich man who invited men to come to his private island, and then hunted them down in the jungle. Because humans were the ultimate prey. They could strategize and fight back in a way other animals couldn't. It didn't matter. He got them all in the end."

Charity shivered. "That's horrible."

"Isn't it?" His voice sounded strained. A second shadow moved around the tree, and Julie put her hand on her brother's shoulder.

"Did you find anything out?" she asked Charity.

Charity sighed. "I think so. Yes. But I don't know what I'm supposed to do about it. He mentioned the runestave. I think if we destroy it, we can get our friends out of here. But I still don't know where that leaves us."

David sounded confused. "Get them out of here how? Won't that kill them?"

"No, I think it'll send them back home the way they were. The Shadow Men will lose their control over them. We can save them. Kadar could have been lying, though. I don't know. It's still the best we've got."

They were silent for a moment. A wind ruffled the leaves above their heads, carrying with it the sound of another gunshot.

"Then you'll have to find it. You and Julie," David said.

"You mean you, me, and Julie."

"I meant what I said. You and Julie."

"Um, hello? Don't I get a say in this?"

"What are you talking about?" Charity demanded. "You'll be coming with us."

Three more gunshots sounded. This time much closer. There was an edge of panic underlying David's calm voice. "They're after me. As long as I'm with you, they'll be after you too. I can buy you some time if I…" He trailed off.

"Sacrifice yourself?" Charity finished, her voice hard. "No, David. Absolutely not. Anything we do, we're going together."

"So it's okay for you to be the hero, but not me?"

"That's different. Kadar wasn't going to do anything to me. I'm the final prize. _You_, on the other hand…"

"Charity…" Another shot rang forth, and David stepped forward, thrusting his face into the moonlight. She bit the inside of her cheek as she saw the fear in his face. "I don't think we can stop this if we're together. I'll run from them as long as I can. And when… _if_ they get me, I know you'll be able to save me. Because you'll find it, and you'll destroy it. I believe in you."

Charity shut her eyes. She bit the inside of both her cheeks and her tongue to keep herself from crying. A long moment passed before she said, "Okay."

"_No_." Julie stepped forward and shoved Charity aside so she could stand directly in front of her brother. "You. Can't. Do. This. They have a _gun_. They're not trying to change you into a Shadow Man this time. They're trying to kill you."

"That's supposedly what happened to Kaori, but she's still walking around. I don't think death means anything here," Charity told her.

"_You_ shut up. I'm talking to my brother."

"Don't be like that. She's only trying to help."

Julie stamped her foot. If the situation hadn't been so dire, Charity would have had to cough to hide a giggle. "I'm so _sick_ of the two of you always deciding everything together. You never ask me. You don't give a damn what I think. You never have."

"Jules, is this really the time?" David said with exasperation. Before she could answer, he pulled her to him and hugged her so tightly that she wasn't able to get another word out. He kissed the top of her head, and then looked over it at Charity. "Take care of her," he requested.

Charity nodded. She would have preferred to go it alone to dragging a crying, unreasonable Julie after her, but she would never tell him that. He released Julie, who stumbled a little and covered her face with her hands. He then came to her, and they stepped together in unison. He was so warm against the chill of the wind. Charity heard the rapid pace of his heart as she leaned her head against his chest. He wasn't nearly as calm as he pretended. She hugged him more tightly, wishing she could protect him the way she had when they were children. If she'd had any power to switch their places, she would have.

"I love you," he said.

Charity laughed and pushed him away. "Don't you go getting all sentimental on me just because you think you're going to die."

He smiled unconvincingly. "Charity, listen–"

A shot cracked through the air, frighteningly close to them. Julie shrieked and leapt to the side as the bullet collided with the tree beside them. David's face lost the little color it had. He reached for Charity's hand and squeezed it briefly, before releasing it and saying simply, "Go."

"Be careful," she said. "I'll kill you if you let them hurt you." He raised a hand in acknowledgement as he was running away. Charity watched him go, her hands playing anxiously with the fabric on her skirt. She wanted to memorize every detail of him – the motion of his arms swinging at his sides as he trotted into the darkness, his dark hair ruffled by a passing wind – just in case…

Wham. Julie came out of nowhere and shoved her. Charity stumbled backwards, her arms waving wildly for balance. "What is _wrong_ with you?" Julie demanded. "How could you let him go?"

Charity wanted to mention that Julie wasn't racing after him in the dark either, but instead she gritted her teeth and said, "Because he was right. You and I have a job to do. As long as they're after him, we have a chance to find the runestave."

"Do you have any idea where to start?" Julie asked, laughing derisively. "How are we supposed to find it? What are you going to do, find one of them and ask nicely to see it? Great plan."

Charity had never wanted to hit anyone (human) so much in her life. But because Julie was David's sister, and she had promised him that she'd take care of her, she simply reached out in the dark for Julie's wrist, seized it roughly, and started pulling her forward. Julie yelped indignantly, but allowed Charity to pull her along, if only because Charity was the stronger of the two. Charity's annoyance with her softened somewhat when she felt how much Julie was trembling. Julie's sniffles and little sobs were the only sounds she heard in the forest besides the crackle of dried leaves beneath her feet and the occasional breeze making the leaves on the trees rustle and sigh.

The shots weren't what frightened her. It was the long pauses between them. Every time she heard the gunfire, her heart leapt with relief that they hadn't gotten him yet – but then plummeted when she realized that maybe with the latest shot they had. Charity and Julie pushed onwards through the forest without speaking, without a plan. Charity didn't know where she was leading Julie. She was waiting for inspiration without much hope. It wouldn't come from Kadar – he had clearly said all that he had meant to say. It was even less likely to come from Julian after the way she had yelled at him…

"I shouldn't even be here," Julie said unexpectedly. "I have the newest _Teen Vogue_ at home. An _America's Next Top Model _marathon is on MTV. I never go out with you guys, and the _one_ night I decide to try… well, look. What was I thinking?"

"Probably that you were going to make out with Kevin," Charity reminded her. Strange, it didn't even sting anymore. The memory of being furious at Julie for stealing him, her own excited feelings about her crush, had long since faded. It seemed like months had passed since school ended that afternoon.

Julie laughed bitterly. "Like I care about him. It was only to get back at you."

Charity knew she should let it slide. She clearly had bigger things to worry about than Julie's irrational hatred of her. But years of frustration combined with the overwhelming rush of stress from their night in hell came rushing out. "What did I ever do to you?" she demanded. "I so don't get you. I've tried to be your friend–"

"You never tried! Any time you included me, it was only because David asked you to."

"Maybe if you weren't such a bitch to everyone, I would have tried harder. Did you ever wonder why you don't have any friends?"

Julie didn't say anything. She had even stopped sniffling. She followed Charity quietly, her wrist limp and cool in Charity's hand. Charity on the other hand was blushing hotly. She wished she could take it back, but she couldn't bring herself to apologize. Everything she had said was true. She knew it. Julie knew it. But that didn't mean it should have been said. Especially right then.

"Let's try another direction," she said to cover up her embarrassment. "I want to get you as far away from here as possible. No sense in making it easier for them by hanging around."

"They can't do anything to me," Julie said dully.

Charity stopped walking and swung around to look at her. "Um, have you not been paying attention?" she asked. Julie's eyes worried her. There was no spark, no life. She looked dead as she stared at Charity. Her red hair hung lifeless and tangled in her face.

Julie sighed and turned her head. "They can't do anything to me, because I know my greatest fear. It's been playing out my entire life. It happened a few minutes ago."

Charity bit her lip. "He's going to be okay," she said comfortingly. "We're not going to lose him."

"That's not what I mean." Julie lifted a hand and pushed her hair away from her eyes and behind her ears. Her brown eyes met Charity's blandly. "I already have lost him. To you."

Charity just stared. "What are you talking about?"

"You really don't get it? God, you're so dense." Julie shook her head in amazement. "Okay, let me spell it out then. You're an only child, so maybe you can't understand, but how would you feel if your brother cared more about his best friend than you?"

Charity opened her mouth and then shut it. She looked at Julie uncertainly for another few seconds before saying, "Julie… you're his sister. He loves you."

"Yes, I'm his sister. He loves me because we share DNA. He has to. We're twins. We're supposed to have this incredible bond, but all my life I've listened to him talk about you, and watched the way he reacts when you're around. He lights up. He's in love with you. He always has been."

Charity started to laugh, but then stopped when she saw the serious look in Julie's eyes. "It's not like that," she assured her. "We're just friends."

"Oh, you think so? Did you not notice who was the last person he looked at before he left a few minutes ago? He said he loved you. I got a pity pat on the head. And you wonder why I hate you."

Charity's head was spinning. Julie's revelation was just another brick that had been pulled out from the stable world beneath her feet that night. But because it dealt with her whole reality, the way she saw her life, it meant so much more. "I would have known if that was true. He would have said something," she said cautiously.

"Would he? He's seen the way you treat guys who've liked you in the past. You just play with them and then discard them. He couldn't stand to be one of them. I don't blame him."

"Well, if you're his confidante for his deepest secrets like this, what are you worried about?" Charity asked harshly. "Clearly he trust you more than he does me." The two girls glared at each other.

Julie was the first to break it. She looked around and shivered. "It's quiet," she said.

"Duh. It has been." Charity was feeling very negative. Her heart was racing, but her thoughts were too jumbled to connect. David, in love with her? No way.

"No, I mean the gunshots. I haven't heard them in the last few minutes." Charity stopped fuming and listened. Julie was right. She hadn't heard anything. The forest was deathly quiet. Even the wind had stopped.

"It doesn't mean anything. We just haven't been paying attention." Her voice had a ring of authority, but Charity didn't believe it herself. Something was wrong.

"Let's just keep moving," she added. Julie didn't say anything as she obediently fell into step behind her.

Neither girl spoke for the next couple of minutes. Charity would never have admitted it to her, but Julie's words were digging inside her. How _did_ one find a runestave? They could wander forever through the trees and never come across it. She was stupid for thinking she could find it – Kadar would never have shown it to her if he thought she would be able to get her hands on it. So where did that leave them?

Screwed, that's where.

Julie let out a little gasp. Her nails dug into Charity's upper arm. "What?" Charity asked petulantly.

Julie's face in the dim light looked very pale. "There's someone behind us," she whispered, barely breathing the words. Charity stopped moving and listened. Unfortunately, Julie was right. It wasn't that she could hear the other being so much as feel a presence in the woods, heavy and black. She and Julie were gripping each other's arms tightly enough to cut off their respective circulations.

"What do we do?" Julie whispered again, but Charity didn't respond. She was out of answers. If they ran, it would chase after them. That was the first rule that every child who had ever lay in bed frozen and sick with fear knew. There was no more that Charity could do for them. They were at the end of the line. If she had to die, at least she could do it with dignity, knowing that she had fought. She had tried. Charity knew that her mother would be proud of her efforts, fruitless as they were.

"Charity…" Julie said, tugging on her arm.

"I'm sorry, too," Charity said, turning to her with a weary smile. "I didn't mean any of it."

"No. Look!"

Cautiously, Charity turned and looked in the direction Julie was pointing. Her imagination was flashing a slideshow of various creatures of the night, perhaps even the Shadow Men themselves come to collect her. But it wasn't any of those things. What she saw, standing just on the edge of where light leaked down from the foliage above, was David.

A sob of relief choked her throat. Until that moment, Charity hadn't allowed herself to feel the full impact of how frightened she had been for him. He was alive – and with her! Ignoring Julie's insistent "Wait!" she rushed forward to meet him. David didn't move as she neared him. His eyes were dark and unblinking. As she flung her arms around him, he was so still; his arms dangled limp at his sides instead of wrapping around her. Charity felt a surge of concern for him. What had happened to him to put him in this state? She hugged him more tightly, and leaned her head against his chest.

"God, Davy, what happened to you? We were so worried! How did you get away?"

"Charity…" Julie said again, her voice strange and choked.

"What?" she asked impatiently. "Come help me. Something's wrong with David."

"I know!" Julie cried, her voice shaking. "He's-"

The rest of Julie's words were lost as David suddenly reanimated. His arms wound around Charity's waist, strong as rocks. He forcefully squeezed her to him. Charity gasped with surprise and lifted her head; her cry was cut short when David's mouth lowered to meet hers, hard and demanding. For a moment, she was stunned into compliance. But the horror of what was happening soon won out, and she started struggling against him. She couldn't for a minute believe that her David would ever force himself on her, no matter how much in love with her he was, as Julie had claimed.

Tears dripped from Charity's eyes, soaking both their cheeks. He wasn't her David any longer. The Shadow Men had got him.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

**Chapter Twenty-One**

David's mouth crushed against hers, hard enough to bruise. There was no passion in the kiss, only dominance. His arms around her waist gripped her like boa constrictors. With a strength she didn't know she had, Charity thrust her hands against his chest and shoved him away from her. She then lifted her right hand and slapped him so hard that his head was forced to the side. She slapped him as if it was his fault, knowing full well that he couldn't help what he did. David's head stayed frozen in the position she had forced it into, but his lips curved into a peculiar smile. His eyes darted to the side to look at her with particular pleasure, like a sly child.

Charity's throat tightened, but she couldn't cry. She was beyond that. "I'm sorry, Davy," she whispered.

He turned towards her and rested one hand on his hip. He was David still, a version of David that was airbrushed to perfection. His skin, normally a soft golden California tan, was now bronzed and flawless. His hair had grown half an inch (how had she not noticed this?) and his dark bangs were carelessly falling into his eyes. His eyes were the same, frighteningly. The same warm brown they had always been, but without the inherent warmth. His expression was all wrong. Full of confidence, arrogance, greed. The quiet intelligence that had always marked her David was absent. Charity felt numb as she looked. She could hear Julie crying behind a tree.

"Sorry for what, Cherry Berry?" David asked coldly. "Sorry for the slap or stringing me along like always? Sorry for letting me love you but only on your terms?"

Charity shook her head. She had to remind herself that this thing wearing David's clothes, looking so very much like him, was not David. Maybe the sentiment was the same…maybe she had unknowingly treated him so…but the delivery was nothing like her David would ever put her through.

"No. I'm sorry I let this happen to you. If it wasn't for me…"

"If it wasn't for you," David said scornfully, "I would be the same pathetic loser I always have been. Always studious and polite, a good boy. Following you around like a lovesick robin, hoping that maybe _someday_…" – He was moving towards her as he spoke, and Charity unconsciously stepped backwards – "you would see that I was not just your best friend. That I could be something more."

Charity jerked with surprise when her back hit against a large tree, the bark rough and scratchy against her skin. She started to move aside, but David suddenly jerked forward and placed one hand on either side of her, encaging her. His face was uncomfortably close to hers. His eyes were dark and blazing. He smiled as he said, "I feel it now, the power. Coursing through me. I'm alive in a way I never was before. I can do anything I want, have anything I want."

Charity was surprised to find that she was trembling. "This isn't the way," she said shakily. "I swear I never meant to hurt you. I didn't even know you felt that way. If I had…but this isn't the way, Davy. You can't force it on me. You can never have me like this."

Unexpectedly, David began to laugh. Charity watched warily as he threw back his head, overcome with mirth.

"Have you? Bitch, I wouldn't have you for dinner if we were the only two people alive and I was dying from hunger."

Charity cried out as he grabbed her arms and squeezed down to her bones. Suddenly, Julie was beside them, sobbing. She tugged on David's arm, crying, "Stop it!" He released one of Charity's arms and flicked his hand to the side as if shooing away a pesky fly. Some force shot out of him at the movement, and Julie was sent sailing backwards into the darkness of the trees.

"She's your sister!" Charity cried.

"Not any more," he said indifferently. "She's not important. She can roam this forest forever until the beasts tear into her for all I care. It's your turn now. I've come to summon you to the Shadow Men's Council. They're tired of playing, sweetheart. It's your turn to answer for your mother's sin."

Laughing softly, David released her and slipped an arm around her waist in a grip that glued her to his side. Slowly, he began to walk with her. Charity was determined not to scream, although she was shaking so hard she could barely move one foot in front of the other. Her one coherent thought in a jumble of mental panic was that if she had to be taken, if she had to go, there was no one in the world she would rather have with her than David – whatever slim version of David this was. It was a small comfort, but enough, to feel his familiar shape beside her. She would have told him how much she loved him if there was the slightest possibility that he could understand her. She hoped Julie had the sense to stay hidden in the forest.

"I wouldn't go just yet," said a voice coolly behind them. A hand closed over her shoulder with pressure that was firm but gentle. Charity grew very still. She could feel the presence behind her with electric sensibility. She hated the little push her heart gave, the rush, as she realized who it was.

David stopped trying to pull her along. He looked over his shoulder. His brown eyes widened into almost perfect circles, showing white all the way around the irises. The strength in his arm slackened, and Charity was able to step away from him, her skin throbbing. She pressed a hand against her side, wincing as she felt the bruise.

"She is not theirs to take. I already claimed this one," said Julian behind her.

Oh, for Heaven's sake. Charity shut her eyes. It was going to cause lasting damage to her psyche to be continually treated like an object for trade or possession. Assuming, of course, that there was anything left of her when the night was through. She did not turn around to witness the stare-down between the two almost-Shadow Men. Her mind was fighting a battle over whether she most wanted to see him or dreaded seeing him, and until she decided she wasn't going to look. She couldn't trust herself to be objective when confronted with his eyes.

David was hesitating, shuffling his feet. It was clear to Charity that in whatever messed-up social hierarchy the Shadow Men followed that Julian was David's senior, and he was wary of challenging him, no matter what his orders had been. "I'm supposed to bring her to the Elders. They requested me personally," he said hesitantly, a hint of pleading in his voice.

"Then I suggest," Julian said easily, walking around David to place a possessive arm around Charity's shoulders and swing her around, "that you come up with a damn good explanation for why she won't be joining them tonight."

His stance as he held her was arrogant and domineering, but his fingers gave her shoulder a light squeeze, indiscernible to anyone's eyes. It unsettled Charity, who was already feeling like a dead thing as she stood there silently. It brought tears to her eyes. It gave her hope. But his next words killed it.

"I haven't had full enjoyment of my prey yet. I don't think they will argue that I have the first right to her. After I'm through, you wolves can fight over what's left. It's little matter to me."

The stab of shame and self-righteous anger that resulted from his words breathed life back into Charity. She opened her mouth to tell him that she was in no way his to claim, but his eyes stopped her. His look clearly said, _Shut up, you idiot. Do you want to die? _

Charity shut her mouth. Now was not the time to remind him that she hadn't changed her mind about hating him. If Julian could get her out of this, she would have plenty of time to do it later. For that's what he was doing: he was trying to save her from the Shadow Men's Council, at least temporarily. She didn't know what his motives were, but as long as they served her interests as well, she was going to shut up and follow his lead.

A hissing, animal sound was coming from David's lips. The sound was especially frightening coming from a face she knew and loved so well. It transformed him, making him more beast than human. Charity clung to Julian in horror, unable to look away from her best friend's eyes, which were starting to take on a yellowish glow.

Julian himself did not waver from the threat. "Run along," he said, a hint of a smile on his lips. He actually lifted a hand and waved it dismissively. David's snarling stopped up short. He gave Julian a look of such hatred that Charity was mildly surprised when the air didn't thicken into blood between them. Finally, with one last look of loathing, he turned and stalked off into the darkness.

In the few moments after he had gone, neither of them moved. Now that they were alone, Charity was very aware of the silence in the forest and the movement of Julian's chest as he breathed. She wanted to step away from him, but she couldn't quite make herself do it. Instead, she stared into the blackness that had swallowed David.

"They're going to hurt him, aren't they?" she said quite unsteadily.

Julian sighed. "You honestly care after all this? Okay, don't answer that. Probably. They are not fond of disobedience. Which is why we have to hurry."

Charity had a mental flash of Julian taking her behind a tree and hurriedly undressing her while the Jeopardy theme ticked in the background. This image which normally would have amused her was now just depressing. She bowed her head wearily.

"Is this the part where you remind me that I'm your slave, and that if I want to survive I'm going to have to do whatever you tell me? Because let me just you, if you want to make out, it's going to have to wait. I think I've passed my quota for the night. Seriously, if I survive this, I'm going to become a nun."

Julian laughed. "Is that what you think of me? Believe it or not, I can control myself. You made it clear earlier that it was never going to happen, and I don't normally get off by forcing myself on unwilling women. There are easier and much more satisfying ways of getting what I want."

Charity lifted her head in astonishment. "Then what are you doing with me? Why stop David from taking me to them?"

Instead of answering her, he said, "We need to find your friend and get away from here before they come looking for us. I don't think I can fool them for very long, so we need to work fast."

Julian released her and looked at her expectantly, but Charity just stared. "Okay," she said. "Seriously now. Who are you and what have you done with Julian?"

He looked away. "We don't have time for this. We need to find her."

"That's exactly what I mean. You didn't give a damn about her before, about any of them, so why now? Why when it's too late, for David, for…?" Charity's throat constricted and she couldn't speak. Tears of fury and confusion were dripping down her cheeks.

"Does it matter as long as I'm helping you?"

"I guess not. But I still hate you."

"That's fine," he said coldly. "I don't need your approval. I need to be obeyed. I made a promise to Jenny to get you out of here, and I'm not going to break it."

Charity swallowed noisily. She rubbed her eyes. So that's what it was. He had been to see her mother. That explained his new lack of interest in her. Why should he still want her after being reunited with his passionate obsession? She should have been relieved, but what she actually felt was disappointment.

"Her name is Julie. Just in case you were wondering," she said crossly, striding past him. As she stepped away, Julian's hand shot out and closed over her shoulder. Without hesitation, Charity shook him off. She swung around to face him, and her eyes were furious.

"Charity," Julian started and then stopped, his face going impassive. "Okay" was all he said before giving her a little nod and leading the way forward. Charity looked after him bleakly.

They found Julie hiding up in a tree. She was shaking like one of the leaves she clung to, and neither looked at them nor responded when they called up to her. It took Charity's soothing voice for several minutes talking about how Julian was a tame, nice Shadow Man (while he stood by and listened with dark amusement) before she was able to coax her down from her branch. Even after she came down, Julie stood a little behind Charity, watching Julian with wide, cautious eyes.

"So what's your master plan?" Charity asked Julian darkly now that they were assembled. "Have a box somewhere to stash us in until you figure out what you do?"

"What was yours? Run aimlessly through the trees until you stumble upon the magical door to Tuvalu?" he responded calmly.

"We were looking for the runestave."

"I see. And your progress on that?"

"If you think you could do better…"

"I could. Can, as a matter of fact. I know how to get it, but it won't be easy. Okay, so you wanted to find the runestave and carve all of the names off, so that my elders would be destroyed and all your friends would go zooming back to California. Where would that leave you and Jeanie?"

"Julie," Charity told him pointedly, knowing it was useless. Julian was already staring up at the sky, his perfect lips shaped into a frown as he pondered the sprinkling of stars above the canopy.

"It's not that it's a bad plan in essence," he said musingly, "but the execution will be problematic. Once you start carving off names, the Shadow Men will be on you within seconds when they feel themselves threatened. There is also the matter of creating a door so that you two will be able to get back home after you've taken care of the rest of us. It has to be well hidden, for I know my elders will start closing all open portals to your world when they figure out what you're doing. All doors that they know about, anyway. Also, while I'm off seeking the runestave – and I'm the only one of us who physically will be able to retrieve it – the two of you will be left vulnerable."

"Thanks for making that so clear and frightening," Charity said, deadpan. "What are we supposed to do about it?"

Julian thought for a minute, looking at her. His face was impassive as he said, "Kadar."

Charity blinked in surprise. "Kadar?"

"Yes. He has a soft spot for you. The others want killing you to be over quickly, but he thinks you're interesting. We could find a way to use that to buy us time while I find the runestave."

"So basically your plan is to let Kadar babysit me until you get back. Great. You're not at all concerned what he'll do to me in the meantime? Or Julie? I don't think he has any special interest in her."

"Yes, they may take her and make her another member of their collection. You'll just carve her name back off when I bring you the runestave."

"Unless they decide to _kill_ her. Maybe they're tired of playing that particular Game."

"I don't like this plan," said Julie in a small voice.

"You see?" Charity glared at Julian. "I don't trust him. We're coming with you."

Julian just looked at her stonily. A moment passed while Charity met his eyes stubbornly, and then Julian's hands darted out to grab her wrist and Julie's. There was no time to even cry out as the air around them flashed blindingly white and then solidified into soft white walls. Charity looked around, her mouth opening and closing in disbelief.

"What is this?" she demanded.

"A box to stash you in until I figure out what to do," he quoted mockingly. "They shouldn't be able to find you here. This is my own creation."

"Shouldn't?" Julie echoed nervously, while Charity said, "It _had_ to be a padded cell?"

Julian's face was stoic, but she could tell he was holding back a smile. "I'll come back for you. Do me a favor and stay out of trouble?" The instant his mouth formed the last syllable, he disappeared. Charity stared at the spot he had been, her jaws clenched together.

"I really hate waiting," she muttered darkly. "He had to know that."

"But we're safe here. Isn't that better?" Julie said almost cheerfully. As Charity went over to the white walls and started testing the cushions with her fists and feet, Julie added, "And it's going to be alright now. We'll be able to get the others back and go home."

Charity grunted as she delivered a heavy kick to the white padding. "When is anything ever that easy?"

Julie's face was white when Charity glanced at her. "You think he was lying? You don't trust him?"

"I do trust him actually, for some reason I can't figure out. Brain tumor maybe? It's just that I can't see how the Shadow Men could be ignorant of what we're trying to do. And if you think they're just going to let him take it…"

Charity trailed off, looking over Julie's shoulder. The fabric covering the center of the wall across from her was slightly off-colored, and the padding was flatter than the rest of the room. She could have sworn it hadn't been like that when they first arrived.

"Charity?" Julie said nervously as Charity crossed over to the wall and started feeling the fabric with both hands. It was definitely flatter than the rest of the room, and she could feel something hard behind it. As her fingers swept over the wall, she found a break in the fabric where two sheets were sewn together. Only this particular portion had been left unstitched. There was just enough room to slip her fingers inside…

"What are you doing?" Julie shrieked as Charity pulled and the fabric came apart from the wall with a loud _rip_. Charity ignored her and yanked again until she had ripped back enough of the fabric to reveal…a door. A simple wood door with a brass handle shining in the fluorescent light. Breathing excitedly, Charity's fingers closed over the knob.

"No, _no_." Julie was behind her, clutching at her arms desperately. "_Don't_. Julian said to stay put."

"He didn't actually. He told me to stay out of trouble."

"Yes, which implies _staying_."

"You stay then. I'm going. I can't believe Julian would have put this door here if he didn't want me to go through it. He wants me to follow him."

"What if he didn't put it there?" Julie demanded, and then moaned as Charity's fingers turned the knob and pulled open the door, revealing a dark hallway. Charity's heart beat steadily in anticipation as she peered into the darkness. She had always felt better while acting. If Julian had left her this door, she couldn't sit around and wait. Maybe he needed her help…

"Stay here," she told Julie firmly. Even though she was leaving, she was not going to get David's sister into trouble. She believed the white room was safe if Julian had left them there. Julie's hands were on her arm, clutching desperately, but Charity shook her off. She stepped through the doorway and closed the door firmly behind her, cutting off Julie's cries of protest. All light was caught off instantly, and Charity was swallowed into the blackness of the hallway. She heard nothing but her ragged, frightened breathing. What if she was wrong and Julian hadn't left her the door? She groped behind her for the doorknob, but it and the door had disappeared. She was alone.

Charity took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Onward, then. She couldn't go back, only forward. She walked, hands stretched out to her sides to feel the comforting solidity of the walls. A small light flickered ahead of her, growing larger as she neared. The closer she got, she recognized it as the rectangle shape of another doorway. Charity's walk turned into a jog. The light became brighter, and finally, biting her lower lip, she burst through.

Kadar was standing before her. "I knew it wouldn't take you long," he said pleasantly.

* * *

Sorry this chapter took me so long. I just haven't been feeling creative/inspired while school was going on. But I'm now graduated and have many hours of unemployment ahead of me to write until I find the fabulous job this degree was supposed to get me. Thanks for all the great comments! They really help keep me going. I'm finally nearing the end on this thing - promise! Soonish, anyway. :)


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Charity immediately spun around to race back into the hallway. She was too late; the doorway had disappeared. She pressed her hands against the black wall without hope. There would be no way out for her unless Kadar willed it.

"Curiosity, you know, always gets the cat in the end. And you, my kitten, are so predictable," he said cheerfully.

"You unimaginable bastard," Charity said unemotionally. She turned around slowly to face him. Kadar was dressed more casually than she had ever seen him, in a large black sweatshirt with a print of a white skull on the front, tight black jeans, and black sneakers. The scene he had chosen was his sick version of a boy's college dorm room. Instead of posters of rock bands or scantily clad women frolicking on beaches, the walls were plastered with blown up pictures of Kadar with his victims, posing with corpses as he grinned proudly or flashed the peace sign. Only in one poster was a victim actually alive, a young Middle Eastern boy about twelve years old. The look of terror on the boy's face as Kadar's arm was around his shoulders was enough to make Charity feel faint. She leaned back against the wall. The shaking was starting to overtake her again, and it was beyond her power to hide it.

In the left corner of the room was a bed with black sheets. A pair of numchucks were casually swung over the bedpost, and a stuffed yellow duck rested on the bed. Its Easter cuteness looked grotesque against the backdrop of so much gloom. On the opposing wall was a brown leather couch facing a television with various videogame controls lying lazily on the floor around it. There was also a desk, and a black MacBook with a signed photograph of Michael Keaton beside it. Kadar saw her disbelieving eyes focused on the picture, and he shrugged.

"What? I'm a fan. You can't get no better Batman than that."

Charity's eyes finished sweeping the room. There was no door, and there was no window. As if he would have made it that easy.

"Aren't you going to thank me?" Kadar asked impatiently.

Charity's voice was hoarse as she asked, "For what?"

Kadar smiled and gestured at her body. Charity looked down and for the first time noticed that she had her clothes back. The long ballroom gown that had been so inconvenient in the forest had disappeared, and her own jean shorts, black top, and sandals were back. She looked at him suspiciously.

"Thank you?" Her voice made it more of a question, but Kadar shrugged modestly.

"Come on," he said, flopping down on the sofa and patting the seat beside him. "I've just cleared Level 6. You can watch me take on Pipe Land."

Charity stared at him, unnerved by his casual, almost friendly air. "What?"

"Or I can restart it. You can play Luigi if you want," he offered kindly. "I don't mind."

"What?"

"Super Mario 3. Original Nintendo. Best game in the history of videogames ever. What _do_ they teach kids these days?"

Charity's mouth was dry as she looked at him. She didn't know how to take his behavior. It was almost as if he wanted to…hang out.

"Sit," he insisted, again gesturing to the empty seat beside him. More out of numb surprise than anything, Charity drifted away from the wall and went to sit next to him. He wasn't kidding about Mario. She watched in silence as he zoomed down pipes and bounced on the heads of various Goombas, chuckling pleasantly all the while. After he had passed the third level, Charity was finally able to make herself turn to him.

"Julian asked you to do this," she said, a statement. It was the only way his behavior made sense to her.

Kadar just laughed and tossed the controller aside, as if bored suddenly by the game. "Julian? Do I need his interference to be with my favorite human? I couldn't just leave you in that padded room of his while he's off on that ridiculous quest to retrieve the runestave. It would bore me to tears. I'm surprised you weren't pulling out your hair from the few minutes you did spend in there. Really, the boy doesn't know you at all if he thought you would be happy sitting there waiting for him."

Charity's chest was constricted as she stared at him. "You know what he's doing?" she asked horrified – and then, as another thought struck her, "Oh, no. Julie."

Kadar rolled his eyes. "She's fine. Safe in that little padded room bawling her eyes out. And she'll stay there as long as you don't annoy me too much."

Charity's heart was pounding, uncomfortably loud. Their entire plan had depended on the Shadow Men not catching on to what Julian was doing, and here was Kadar, casually telling her he knew where Julian was. He looked at her sideways, a little smirk on his face, as if he could read her mind.

"And don't you worry your head about your bleached boyfriend. I haven't told my elders about your grand scheme. I'm not planning to. There's no need, really. He'll never get the runestave. He'll die first. The security we've put on it is too good."

Charity's fingers clenched the leather cushion she sat on. A fresh bout of panic exploded inside her, not for herself but for Julian, facing whatever "security" the Shadow Men had put in place. The thought that she might never see him again, after he left with things so strained between them…But he had sounded confident that he could get the runestave. She had to believe in him.

Charity's mind swirled around for a topic to distract herself. "You knew what we were planning," she finally said.

Kadar's eyes glowed a steady gold as he looked at her. "Do you think I have left you alone for even a moment since you've been here? I've always been watching you, even when you couldn't see me. Every scheme, every tear, every kiss, I've been with you. And you didn't know." He sounded rather pleased with himself.

"So the other Shadow Men…"

"Oh, _them_," Kadar said, waving his hand impatiently. "What do they matter? It was my job to keep an eye on you, and they're satisfied to leave it to me. What they don't know doesn't harm anyone."

"But they want to _kill_ me."

"Not if I tell them I killed you first," Kadar said. When Charity looked at him in shock, he smiled angelically.

"So, here's the deal, sweetheart. I like you. No," he said with a chuckle, catching the horrified look on her face, "not in that way. Shadow Man, remember? Please. I do like you, though. You amuse me. And because I like you, I'm going to give you a chance."

Charity stared at him, hardly daring to breathe. As the silence between them dragged on, she finally whispered, "Meaning?"

Kadar looked extraordinarily pleased, excited as a kid with apple pie. "You see, me and my elders disagree on one thing fundamentally. They would like to wrap up this entire business and move on. I don't see it that way. I know _I_ could get many more hours of enjoyment out of you. I'd like to keep you."

Charity stared at him. He couldn't be serious. But there was nothing, for once, in those golden eyes that hinted at a joke. "I could hide you," he continued enthusiastically. "They'll never need to know. We can continue to play all sorts of Games. I'll even continue to wear my human skin around you if you like. And when they're around –" Kadar snapped his fingers "–_pop_. You're a scarlet bird in a cage. Or a diamond stud in my ear. They'll be satisfied if I tell them you're dead. That's enough to hold over Jenny's head and torment her. I'll tell them you annoyed me, so I ate you."

"What about Julie?" Charity asked. She was so dizzy that it took several attempts for her eyes to focus on him properly.

Kadar smiled, looking so very beautiful. "Well, she dies," he said indifferently. "Duh. But that would happen anyway."

Charity wanted to stand and get as far away from him as possible, but her legs felt as limp and useless as slabs of gelatin. Kadar reached over and patted her knee in what he must have thought was a comforting way, but the spasms of icy pain that resulted from the contact of his skin to hers just made her wince.

"You know, if you'd rather, I could tell them what's up. Your brilliant plan with Julian. It's my duty to keep my elders informed," Kadar said solemnly. His golden eyes were actually twinkling as he smiled at her with a look half teasing, half fond.

Charity put her fingers to her temples and bent over so that her head rested between her knees. "Whatever. Do what you want. I don't care anymore."

"You may think you're calling my bluff, darling, but I'm perfectly serious."

"So am I. I'm tired, and I don't want to play. I'm done. You want me to be your pet? Fine. But I guarantee I won't be much fun."

When Charity wearily lifted her head, Kadar was smiling at her, as if waiting for the punchline. "You don't care," he stated skeptically. "What about your little friend Julie, the one with the bad case of the weepies? You don't care what happens to her?"

"Does it matter if I do? It's all going to turn out the same."

"Or Julian?" When Charity's eyes involuntarily quickened back to him, Kadar smiled like a cat leaning over a goldfish bowl. "You know my elders won't be kind to him once they've dispatched the rest of you. Assuming he comes back from his quest with a head."

"Like I said. It doesn't matter anymore what I think. You've won," she said numbly. At least she hoped she sounded numb and lifeless. In truth, her insides were doing the panic dance again, the way they did every time he mentioned Julian.

Kadar squinted his eyes as he looked at her, and then he leaned back with his arms folded across his chest. "Huh," he said loudly, letting out all his breath in the process. "And here I was thinking you had an unbreakable spine."

"It's a easy mistake to make," Charity told him dryly.

"If this is some sad attempt to get me to throw you back to the wolves, you'll have to try again. Only one thing can make me change my mind."

"What's that?"

"Ask for it. Ask for death, and I'll let you go."

Charity stared at him. She didn't speak.

Kadar smiled grimly. "That's what I thought."

For the first time since she'd been sitting with him, Charity actually did feel defeated. Her apathetic words had been nothing more than a way to buy time, to test him out, but at that moment she truly felt the cold reality of her situation. She was going to die. If not at his hands, then at the will of the Shadow Men. Either that or she'd be trapped forever in this world, kept according to the whims of Kadar. She might never see her friends again. She might never see Julian.

Maybe it was wrong to hope…

"Of course, there is one other option," Kadar said suddenly.

Charity swallowed, trying to bring a bit of moisture to her parched throat. Her next words were choked: "What's that?"

"Well, I believe it's quite unfair that you haven't gotten to face a special nightmare of your own when all your friends have already gone through theirs. Except for Julie, but she's afraid of _everything_, so we have her covered."

"Or?"

"Well, what else could you possibly want?" Kadar asked, exasperated.

"You could reverse what you've done to my friends and bring us all home alive."

He giggled. "You jest. Make your choice, princess."

Charity sat quietly, chewing lightly on her lower lip. She stared at the floor. The Shadow Men's Council was out, as was staying as Kadar's personal pet. That left only her personal nightmare, and although she wasn't looking forward to that, it at least might buy her time until Julian returned with the runestave.

"Nightmare me up," she said.

"Excellent." Kadar clapped his hands together. He didn't look in the least upset that she had chosen to forego his company for eternity. "I have a special scene saved for you. Your fears were difficult to pin down, since you don't seem to have any particular nightmare, but I think this one should do us just fine."

Suddenly, Julie appeared in the room, her eyes wide and frightened.

"No," Charity said, leaping up, suddenly furious. "_My_ nightmare. She doesn't have anything to do with this."

Kadar smiled. "Last time I checked, there were still two players in this game."

Julie stood pressed against the wall. Her brown eyes were wide, and she was breathing heavily as she looked at the two of them. Her red hair was uncharacteristically messy as it hung on either side of her face. She was clearly terrified, but she was still standing there, not screaming. Charity felt a rush of affection and admiration for her as she went up beside her to take her hand. Julie looked at her, and Charity did her best to smile, to convince her that everything was okay. Her lips wouldn't form the lie.

"Just one more thing," Kadar said, his voice suddenly calm and serious. Charity froze, and then turned towards him. Kadar's eyes were fixed on her intently. He lounged back on the sofa, arms casually crossed across his chest. He smiled.

"Happy hunting. I'll see you soon."

They were on an empty street. Charity gasped at the sudden change of scenery. It was night, and the only light was the artificial glow of the streetlamps. Blankets of dark clouds blocked out the starlight. They were in a city. It could have been L.A. or Chicago or Omaha. Lines of stores, boutiques, hair salons, appliance stores, and pawn shops were in rows along the street, their shades drawn and "Closed" signs prominently displayed. The silence and lack of life around them were eerie. They could have been standing in a post-apocalyptic world.

"Where are we?" Julie gasped. Kadar had returned her original clothes to her as well, and she played nervously with the hem of her short skirt.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Charity said heavily. There was a fine line of tension along her skin. The silence of the city was not peaceful. She couldn't shake off the dark feeling of oppression. She was being watched, either by the Shadow Men – or something else.

"You had to go through the door, didn't you?" Julie said bitterly. "You could have waited with me, where Julian said it was safe, but _no_. You had to go through the door."

Charity didn't bother answering her.The feeling of wrongness in the air was so strong it was almost like a cloud that choked her. She turned on the spot, eyes straining in the darkness for some sign of life or movement. She found it. Something moved ahead of them on the street. It looked small, or perhaps that was only because the figure was hunched over as it shuffled along under the streetlights. Something about the figure's movements was off – it moved a little too jerkily, a little too unnaturally. Charity felt Julie still beside her as her eyes fixed on the being.

"Now would be a really excellent time to run," Charity said. She didn't take her own advice. Her sandals were psychologically glued to the pavement. She knew nothing good could come from sticking around, but she was unable to convince her feet of that.

The thing came closer. What _was _her nightmare? Charity hadn't had nightmares since she was seven, except for the occasional dream involving her parents dying suddenly and leaving her alone. She had always been firmly grounded in reality, unable to believe in ghosts and goblins, however much part of her wished they were real. Looking at the bent creature shuffling towards them, she knew it was not human.

Julie's breath drew in sharply as the creature stepped into the light of the nearest streetlamp. The creature was bent with white, white skin and pointy ears and nose. It was wearing long black robes, and it flickered, as if it was a hologram, or as if it had stepped out of an old-time movie screen. When it's black beady eyes focused on her, and its bloodless lips curved into a smile, Charity's heart started racing. She recognized it.

"Oh, hell," Charity said weakly. She should have known.

It was Nosferatu.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

"Run," Charity said insistently. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Julie's wrist. They ran. Charity didn't dare look over her shoulder, but she knew the monster was following them, shuffling along the street, its clawed hands with long yellow fingernails testing the air in front of it as it reached for them. She was literally sick to her stomach. She would have allowed herself to vomit if she thought she had time. As things stood, there was none. Oh, God, this was not the way she would have wanted her exit from the Shadow World…

"What…is…it?" Julie gasped. Never the star student of P.E., she was nearly wheezing as she ran.

"Vampire," was all Charity was able to choke out. Thinking about it, what it could do to her, made the skin on her throat crawl. They came to a cross street, and Charity pulled Julie down it without thinking. She was relieved to find that the narrow street was not a dead end. She released Julie's hand, and slowed her pace to test the nearest door, a barber's shop. It was locked. Of course. Cautiously, she poked her head around the corner of the building. It was still following them, but slowly. Good. That gave her time to figure out what to do.

Julie was gaping at her when she turned. "That _thing_ is a vampire? I thought they were supposed to be pretty."

"Clearly you've been reading too much Stephenie Meyer. This is the real thing. The original. Nosferatu."

"Huh?"

"It's still coming. Oh, shit. It's from, um, some old German movie. A silent film. It was on AMC when I was a kid, and it really freaked me out."

"I see why," Julie said darkly.

Charity was shaking as she brought a hand to her forehead and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Vampire," she muttered to herself. "Sunlight. Garlic. Stake. Fire. Decapitation…"

"You're not going to fight it," Julie said, aghast.

"What else can we do? We can't keep running from it. I think we're supposed to _do_ something."

"Wonderful," Julie said grumpily. "This is your personal nightmare, something you're supposedly more scared of than anything. And instead of shutting down like the rest of us, you go all Xena Warrior Princess."

"Only because it takes my mind off screaming," Charity said fairly, and then almost did scream as the creature appeared around the corner. Its mouth was open, showing pointy triangles of fangs as it grinned at them. As one, she and Julie took off running down the street.

"How did the movie end?" Julie demanded. She had one arm wrapped around her waist as she ran, as if to hold her insides together.

"I don't know. I was too scared to watch the end. Maybe I should have, just to see it die. It gave me nightmares for months. I kept waking up in the middle of the night, thinking I saw its shadow in my room…" Charity choked up, unable to finish. She couldn't think about the nightmares. Not when she was faced with the real thing.

Desperately seeking a solution, Charity started paying attention to the signs of the stores they passed. There was a dilapidated McDonalds sign above a red and yellow striped awning. Amir's Convenience Store. Cuts for Less. More Books. Dan's Hardware and Supply. Dan's Hardware and Supply…

"I can't…run…anymore," Julie gasped, clutching more vigorously at her side. Her steps started to slow, and she reached out to steady herself against the glass window of the hardware store. She panted as she hunched over, and then dropped to the ground to balance on the balls of her feet, her back resting against a metal trash can outside the door.

"Good," Charity said. "I have an idea." She stepped around the trash can to try the handle to the door, fingers of her left hand crossed. When the knob didn't turn, she swore and used both hands to pull desperately on the knob.

"What are you doing?" Julie asked shrilly, eyeing Charity suspiciously.

"Just please shut up for the next ten minutes. Will you do that for me? I'm trying to save your ass." Charity stepped away from the door and kicked it. Frustrated she swung around and then bit her lip to hold back a scream. On the brick of the building opposite the hardware store was the shadow of Nosferatu coming towards them. Its claw-like hands were stretched in front of it. The creature moved slowly, eerily. Little bubbles of panic started to dance within Charity's stomach. She didn't bother to glance down the street to see how close the vampire was. She immediately turned and picked up the metal trash can, gasping slightly at its weight.

"Julie, get up."

"Why?"

"Do it!" Charity yelled. Alarmed, Julie hopped to her feet and backed up a few paces into the road. Charity closed her eyes before swinging the trash can at the glass window of the hardware store. The glass cracked on her first swing, but did not break. Charity hit it again and again until finally on her sixth hit the trash can broke through the glass with a horrible cracking sound. Pieces of the window fell like a rain of diamonds. She dropped the trash can and drew back her hands, but not fast enough. Several pieces of glass, sharp as blades, sliced the soft skin of her inner arms. Charity cursed and pulled her arms to her chest, trying to staunch the bleeding against her shirt.

A piercing scream distracted her. Nosferatu had caught up to them. Julie was pressed against the brick building across the street, her face white as she screamed, one sharp cry after another. The creature's hands were on her shoulders, and its bald head was slowly leaning towards her neck. The pale, bloodless lips were parted, fangs bared. Julie threw her head back as she pushed against the vampire's bony shoulders, shrieking as if its teeth had already punctured her skin.

Charity picked up the lid of the trash can and ran across the street. The fangs were only inches from Julie's throat when she hit the vampire on the head. A metallic dinging sound filled the air as the monster's head snapped back. It stumbled, hands waving wildly for balance. Charity didn't wait for it to recover as she hit it again. Nosferatu retreated a few steps further, lips parted in a silent hiss. The vampire flickered several times before solidifying.

Charity's shaking fingers were unable to hold the lid anymore, and it clattered against the asphalt. Julie had a hand pressed against her unmarked throat when Charity rushed to her. Her friend's eyes were wide, and her lips were trembling. Charity shoved her, gently but insistently.

"Go, go. It's going to come after me. There's nothing you can do."

With an agonized look at her, Julie turned and started running down the street. She didn't look back.

Nosfertu was recovering. There wasn't the remotest hint of a smile on its face. The black eyes were murderous. Feeling like a drummer was doing free-style in her chest, Charity ran back across the street. Her lips moved in a silent prayer to no one in particular as she leapt through the broken window into the hardware store. A jagged shard of glass left sticking to the bottom of the window frame sliced into her left leg when she went through. Charity winced as she tried to stifle her cry. When she landed in a crouched position, she saw the flow of blood trickling down her leg, black in the dim light. She twisted her head to look out the window. The creature was standing in the street, looking at her. It wasn't moving.

Charity scrambled to her feet. She ran down the nearest aisle, wincing from the pain in her arms and legs. The wooden floorboards were old, and they creaked under her feet. She eased up on her pace and limped down the aisle, hands stretched out to feel the shelves on either side of her. The hardware store was small, about the size of her pool and patio at home. The only light came from the outside streetlamps. It was difficult to see the items on the shelves. She hoped she could find what she was looking for.

At the end of the aisle, Charity turned right and crept past several more aisles before making a turn into the third one. She went a couple paces before crouching down and listening for footsteps or breathing – anything to tell her where the creature was in relation to herself. She couldn't shake the tremor that had taken hold of all of her muscles. Silence was all around her. The vampire could have been still standing in the street looking in the window. It could have been three steps behind her in the dark.

_He can smell your blood_, said Kadar. Charity jerked in surprise when he heard his voice in her mind, clear as if he was standing beside her, whispering in her ear.

_Do you know how it feels, having your life drained out of you_? _Gasping for breath as he drinks from that sweet neck? He has your scent now, my darling, and he's determined to have you. You smell like a 16 oz. porterhouse steak to him, with a lovely mushroom sauce and red wine._

Charity didn't dare respond verbally, so she screamed all manner of obscenities at him in her head. He must have heard her, because his delighted laughter tinkled in her ears.

_What are you going to do now, my little warrior?_

Charity lowered her head into her hands and wiped the sweat off her forehead. Slowly, she raised herself to her feet, hands clutching at the shelves beside her. Her fingers closed on small cylindrical metal objects. Nails, screws, and bolts. She strained her eyes in the darkness to see the contents of the rest of the aisle, but the rows of screwdrivers, hammers, rulers, and rope would do nothing to help her.

Sudden creaking footsteps in the next aisle over reminded her of the urgency of her mission. Moaning slightly, Charity ran down the aisle and turned left to look down the next one. From what she could tell, it was filled with boards of various woods and sizes. Choking back a curse, she moved on. The next aisle was filled with bottles and tubes. It looked more promising. She trotted forward, eyes scanning the shelves, hands eagerly feeling the different shapes of plastic, metal, and glass. And then she found it. Blood pounded in her ears; she felt slightly dizzy with relief. Eagerly, she reached for the bottle on the shelf. Her fingers closed over it.

A clawed hand grabbed her wrist. Charity screamed and tried to pull away, but the bony, pallid fingers did not release her. With her other hand, she put the screw tip of the small bottle in her mouth and began to unscrew it. The creature was pulling her, and although Charity strained against it with her legs, she put most of her concentration into getting the lid off the bottle. When the lid came off, she let out a little cry of relief as she spit it out. Nosferatu had her nearly against its chest. With one hand in her hair, it bent her head to one side to expose her neck, but Charity was ready. She swung the little bottle of Valvoline oil at it so that the liquid hit it in the face. Taken aback, the creature slightly released its grip on her and blinked rapidly. The lips parted in a hiss, but again the only sound was Charity's own frightened breathing.

Taking advantage of its distraction, Charity pushed against it with all her strength. She kicked, punched, and shoved, and somehow she was free. After taking a few steps back, Charity continued shaking the bottle at it, dousing it in oil. When the bottle was empty, she tossed it aside and grabbed several more from the shelf before turning and running in the other direction.

_If you keep pissing him off, he's not going to bother with your blood. He's just going to snap your neck_, Kadar told her solemnly. Charity ignored him. She came out at the end of the aisle and turned in a frantic circle, trying to decide where to go next.

_That would be an awful shame, missing out on your blood. I wouldn't mind a taste myself._

The check-out counter. Sucking in excited breath, Charity rushed forward. She reached it, and her hands desperately patted the counter and the various items in little boxes on top of it. Keychains. Gum. Rolls of mints for charity. Rubber bands. Lighters.

Lighters. Rolling her eyes in relief. Charity set down the extra bottles of oil she had gathered and grabbed one of the lighters. She made several attempts to light it and failed. She had always had trouble with lighters, and her trembling fingers working at half-efficiency were doing little to help.

A sudden loud creak made her spin around in horror. Nosferatu had just emerged from the aisle. It was glistening with oil that dripped down its face and onto its black clothes. She couldn't see its expression, but she could feel its anger. It was done playing games with her. The next time it came near her, it would be for the kill.

Charity's right thumb desperately flicked the lighter trying to get a flame, while with her left hand she unscrewed another bottle. She shook the oil at the vampire. In her panic and because of the distance between them, more oil got on the floor and the surrounding shelves than the creature. At least she slowed it down slightly when it placed its hands before its eyes to protect them from the oil. When the second bottle was empty, Charity dropped it and put both hands on the lighter.

"Come on. Come on, _please_," she whispered as she tried to light it.

_Oh, if you're going to ask all _nicely_ like that._

A flame burst onto the tip of the lighter. Charity cradled the lighter like delicate glass, laughter full of shock and relief escaping her lips. She looked up at the vampire, which was still edging towards her, its eyes furious. It was apparently unaware of what she was about to do. When it got close enough that she could see its eyes in the orange firelight, Charity smiled.

"Sorry, but no," she said, and threw the lighter.

For a horrible moment, she was afraid the tiny flame was going to go out before it reached the creature or that it would hit a part of it that hadn't been touched by oil. Her fears were unnecessary. The moment the lighter touched Nosferatu, a greater flame sped along the thin layer of oil on its robes until the vampire was a moving, stumbling torch. Eyes hard, Charity took a step back. The creature was faltering, turning one way and then another, disoriented by the light and the pain. Anything else living would have been screaming, but it didn't make a sound as the flames wrapped around it completely. Finally, the only visible parts of the vampire in the fireball were the two white, clawed hands still grasping at the air. The flames crackled higher, and then there was a whooshing sound before the creature crumbled onto the floor in a pile of burning dust. Her nightmare, Nosferatu, was no more.

It didn't take long for Charity to realize that the vampire-dust was not the only thing burning in the store. Her frantic efforts to douse the creature in oil had also made much of the store flammable. The fire shot out along the old, wooden floorboards and onto the shelves. Soon, she was surrounded in a crackling hell of orange light. Charity tried to stumble back to the window, but the fire had spread behind her so that even her exit was burning.

Something exploded on the shelves. Charity rushed behind the sales counter and ducked. Thus far, it was the only thing left untouched. She poked her head cautiously around the corner of the counter to look at what was left of the window, but it too was covered in a rolling wall of fire. She coughed as thick black smoke found its way into her lungs. Her skin felt tight and hot from close exposure to the flames. Her eyes burned with the smoke and bright light of the fire. She tried to remember if she had seen tarp anywhere, but then with a sharp stab of defeat realized that even if she had, there was no way she could get to it now.

What a joke, that she was to defeat the vampire only to die by the thing that had saved her.

_At least I fought_, she thought dizzily as she ducked as low as she could to the ground and covered her head. _I never gave up_.

A few more gasps of the air filled with smoke and ash and Charity fainted.

0 0 0

The icy screen went dark. The silence in the living room was nearly as tangible as clay. Moments before, Dee had been doing a victory dance, hands above her head as she whooped a battle cry to cheer Charity on, but now even she was silent and tense. She stood in the middle of the living room, her fists clenched and shoulders trembling. Jenny's hands gripped either side of the screen, her eyes wide and tearing. She was afraid to even blink, fearing that she would miss some critical glimpse of her daughter. That last image, of Charity crouching to the hard wooden floor, her dark hair frazzled and her cheeks covered with soot, was burned into her memory.

"They wouldn't end it that way. They wouldn't. It's too cruel. They wouldn't," Tom muttered to himself.

"I think the problem is that it isn't cruel enough," Jenny corrected. It wasn't over. Not nearly. Not if the Shadow Men were all that she remembered.

"Whatever happens, I'm so proud of her," Dee said fiercely.

"Her aunt taught her to be a fighter. She was terrified, but she didn't let it stop her," Jenny said, allowing herself to smile at her best friend. Dee smiled back and dropped to the ground beside her, putting a hard arm around her shoulders.

"Who says it was all me, tiger?"

"Julie's fine, too," Audrey said, more to convince herself than to comfort Michael who was hunched over, covering his face with his hands. She patted her husband lightly on his back, but her eyes were hollow and she looked drained. Her mascara was in black streaks under her eyes, dripping down her cheeks.

"That's right," Jenny said encouragingly, her heart feeling Audrey's pain. "Julian said he was going to protect them. He said–" She broke off as four heads swung her way and four mouths dropped open.

"I mean, he would, if he remembered me, I mean," she finished lamely. She winced slightly, waiting for the backlash, but it did not come. Tom was looking at her, but his expression of blank detachment did not change. He just stared at her, eyes slowly searching her face.

"You saw him," he said finally. He looked tired.

Jenny met his eyes steadily. "I did."

"And?"

"He's going to help them. He's going to try."

"In a noble quest for redemption, or for something else?"

Jenny forced herself to keep his gaze. She willed her cheeks not to change color. "For me. I asked him to."

Tom nodded and lowered his head into his hands. He closed his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck. Jenny clenched her fists and dug them into the carpet to stop herself from reaching out to him. She was afraid of the damage it would do. Instead, she waited for Tom to lift his head and look back at her. When he did, his eyes were unreadable.

"Thank you," he said earnestly. He reached for her, and only a second passed before Jenny was in his arms. Neither of them cried. There was no reason for that. But the feeling of love and acceptance between them was like a cloud that briefly lifted Jenny from her misery.

A sharp gasp from Audrey broke the spell. Tom released Jenny, and they both turned eagerly back to the screen. It was like a trip back in time. They were looking at the courtroom from the beginning of the night. The Shadow Men were solemnly sitting in the jury box, and Kadar was twirling in his long black robes, his white powdered wig flapping on his head. The children, all of them, were in the room, but two of them were tied to chairs. Julie was in one of them, the skin of her face white and wet as she cried. Halena stood beside her, grinning spitefully as she repeatedly pinched Julie on the arm. Charity was in the other chair. She was still unconscious, and her head lolled to the side nearly bonelessly. Her face was smeared with ash, and there was dried blood on her legs. David stood behind her, his hands clasped possessively on the top of her chair. Kaori, Ryan, and Kevin were also gathered around the two chairs, arms folded and feet tapping as they waited anxiously for the trial to begin.

Julian was nowhere to be seen.

Charity stirred. She shook her head confusedly and winced as she moved. Kaori came over and slapped her, her mouth open with laughter. At the sting, Charity's eyes widened and she tried to stand up. Jenny saw terror fill her daughter's eyes as she looked around the courtroom at the scene and realized she couldn't move.

At Charity's frantic movements, there was a stir among the Shadow Men in the jury boxes. Some were standing up, their ugly, twisted faces grinning as they watched. One's mouth fell open and it licked its lips delightedly. Jenny couldn't hear them, but she could see the glee and malicious anticipation on their faces. With a smirk of pride, Kadar trotted over to the empty judge's stand and grabbed the gavel. He pounded it several times, his eyes fixed on Charity.

The trial was about to begin.

* * *

Only one or two more chapters to go! I think. Oh, please, God, let that be all. Sometimes characters like to run off in unexpected directions, so it could be seven.

I wasn't orginally going to have Charity have a nightmare, but then when I was writing the last chapter I saw a clip of "Nosferatu" on TV, and remembered how dang creepy he is. If you've never seen the movie (and I've only seen clips) look it up on YouTube and you'll see what I mean. I thought it would be fun to write a scene with him. So here it is...

Thanks again for everyone's support! We're almost there.


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

"Round and round we go, and another circle comes to a close," Kadar sang cheerfully. He dropped the gavel to the top of the judge's desk and did another twirl. His black robes swirled out around him like a hoop skirt. Charity made another violent jerk forward with her shoulders in an attempt to loosen the rope that bound her. It was no use; the knots were too tight, and she knocked out her breath in the process. At her side, Julie was making no attempt to get away. Her eyes were closed and her head was bowed. She could have been praying or reciting the Gettysburg address. Anything to take her out of the moment. Charity envied her in a way. She couldn't take herself away. Her survival instincts demanded she be mentally present and watchful at all times.

"Charges?" Kadar said, stopping suddenly. His robes continued to swing around him, stopped, and then fell into place. Nobody answered him. The Shadow Men were still eyeing Charity and Julie. They were standing up in the jury box and hissing slightly. Kadar placed his hands on his hips and shot them a pointed look.

"Ahem. Charges?"

"Why play this Game?" asked a singularly beautiful voice, considering it came from a shriveled creature covered in oozing brown scales. "I say we eat now."

"Oh, come on." Kadar looked pained. "We put – _I_ put – all this effort in tonight, and you don't even want to finish what was started?" Several Shadow Men grumbled, but none contradicted him. About half of them sat down.

Kadar smiled. "Charges?" he asked again. Charity winced as David's hands slid down the top of the chair to grip her shoulders tightly.

"Charity Dee Locke and Julie Alice Cohen, standing in for their parents, Michael and Audrey Cohen, Thomas Locke, and especially Jenny Locke born Thornton, are charged with forcefully entering our Realm, robbing our esteemed Masters of their rightfully captured prey, and tempting and eventually converting one of our favorite children. For these crimes, we ask for their deaths," said David clearly.

Julie shuddered, but did not lift her head. Charity met Kadar's eyes levelly. He smiled at her.

"And how do you plead?"

Charity didn't speak. Partly because she didn't want to give him the satisfaction, partly because she couldn't. After a moment of silence, Kadar rolled his eyes and stage-whispered, "Not guilty." But Charity shook her head. No. She wasn't going to play along.

Kadar looked scandalized. "Do I have to do everything myself?" he demanded. "Jeez. Alright. Not guilty…possibly by reason of insanity. Whatever. Let's move on to the sentencing."

"Without interrogating key witnesses? What kind of court is this?"

Charity's breath caught. She swung her head around so rapidly that her nose collided painfully with David's arm. The impact made her nose sting. She sneezed. When she opened her eyes, Julian had strode forward to stand in the middle of the courtroom, his hands casually placed on his slim hips. He was smiling at Kadar, appearing totally relaxed. Charity's spirits ballooned at the sight of him, but then deflated slightly when she saw his empty hands. No runestave there.

Kadar blinked, momentarily stunned by Julian's sudden appearance, but then his lips lifted into a pleased, catlike smile. "Search him," he said simply. As one, Ryan, Kevin, Kaori, and Halena stepped forward. David didn't move from behind Charity. Julian was very accommodating as he silently lifted his arms to be patted down by the four, his smile never dimming. He was dressed in white, a striking contrast to Kadar's dark robes. He wore a loose collared white shirt that was left unbuttoned to the middle of his chest and fitted white jeans that showed off the muscles of his legs. Halena slipped her hands inside his shirt and then ripped it open, placing her hands firmly against the hard muscles of his chest. She laughed as she tossed her fair hair, her shivery laughter like little silver bells.

"Are you done?" Julian asked calmly, addressing Kadar. Kevin and Ryan were crouched as they patted down his legs, and Kaori was examining his back. Kadar nodded silently and they all stepped away, including Halena, although her fingers lingered on his chest perhaps a few seconds too long.

"I see you didn't find it. Too bad," said Kadar. He was trying his best to look sympathetic and failing miserably. He bounced slightly on the balls of his feet, a smirk breaking through his peaceful expression.

Julian smiled beautifully. "Find what?"

"Are we playing that game? All right. Have it your way. You called yourself a key witness. Go on, then. Witness."

"This isn't necessary. None of it," Julian said calmly. He gestured behind him to Charity and Julie tied to their chairs. For an instant, Charity's eyes met his, but his expression was unreadable. She tried to desperately telepath to him, _What should I do_? She didn't receive even a flicker of a smile or a nod as he turned back to Kadar.

"The girls cannot mean any harm to you," he said with an eyebrow slightly raised. Kadar looked back at him, his golden eyes severe. He shrugged.

"It's part of the charade, my man. You know that. At least I hear you used to. But as you say, why not?" Kadar snapped his fingers, and the ropes that bound Charity loosened. She instantly stood, fingers hurriedly untangling herself from the ropes. Julie still sat, but she brought her unbound hands to fold across her chest as she shook.

An icy mist was starting to drift from the jury box. When the whispers started, Charity instinctively ran to Julian, her teeth chattering. He reached out his hand, and she took it, grateful to have his fingers steadying her. The Shadow Men were impatient, their eyes glowing with greed and desire. Several of them walked out from the jury box to stand before it. Charity recognized the Shadow Man with the yellow alligator eyes and the green scales who had frightened her so much at the beginning of the Game. There was the same expression on its face, hunger and longing and violence as it looked at her. It was as if she had gone back in time. If it came any closer, she was either going to scream or faint or shut down. One of the three.

"Don't worry," Julian said softly as she pressed against his side. "They're not going to hurt you. I won't let them."

At least one thing had changed for the better since she was last in the courtroom. Julian was on her side. She had accomplished that much. If she was destined to die, at least she wasn't alone. Someone was going to fight for her.

As Charity instinctively tried to meld her body to his she felt something unexpectedly hard between them, pressing against her thigh. She jerked back in jumpy surprise, but she could still feel it against her leg. Something foreign and rounded. Something in her pocket.

She looked up at Julian, her heart pounding. His face was perfectly composed as he faced Kadar, but she could feel him watching her out of the corner of his eye. Slowly, she eased her hand out of his and stepped away. She folded her arms across her chest, and then, when she felt an inconspicuous amount of time had passed, she put both her hands in her pockets.

It was about the length of a pencil but four times as thick. Rounded. Wooden. Covered with deep carvings. Huh.

She was kind of expecting something a little more impressive, but it would do.

"We have several options here," Kadar was saying. He had his chin in his hand like Rodin's "The Thinker" as he contemplated the scene.

"The spare is nothing. She can die." He waved a dismissive hand towards Julie, who promptly leaned forward to press her face against her knees as her shoulders shook uncontrollably. Charity wanted to call out to her that it was alright, but that wasn't true. Even if she had the power to change things, she had no idea what she was supposed to do. Julian certainly wasn't giving her any hints.

"But you…" Charity's head snapped around to find Kadar looking at her almost longingly. "For you, there are so many options. We could kill you, sure, but I'm thinking more along the lines of making you one of us and then sending you out to haunt your parents. Think of the beautiful irony of that."

Charity fingered the runestave in her pocket, twirling it around. What if she snapped it? No, it wasn't that easy. If it was, Julian would have done it himself. Then what was she supposed to do?

"What about them?" she asked, nodding towards her Shadow friends, playing for time.

"Them? They've worn out their usefulness. As soon as we decide what to do with you, they also die."

This didn't seem to bother any of them. Kaori even giggled, batting her eyes coquettishly at Kadar. David's eyes were fixed on Charity, as they had been for the last few minutes. The others were grinning and bobbing, looking as eager as the legitimate Shadow Men in the jury box for the scene that was coming next.

"And Beautiful Blue here," Kadar continued, nodding to Julian. "You really should have stayed away, you know. Because we took a vote earlier, and we think the only way for you to redeem yourself is to cease existing. Nothing personal. Just business. Maybe we'll have the new and improved Charity do it."

Julian still smiled. He said nothing. As Kadar chattered on happily, Charity continued sliding her thumb over the small wooden object in her pocket. Kadar had told her that the only way a Shadow Man could die would be for its name to be carved off the runestave…But she had no weapon, and even if she had, the second she removed the runestave from her pocket, the Shadow Men would see it and come after her. Experimentally, she tried to dig the nail of her pointer into the wood, and her heart thumped with surprise when it easily slid in.

Charity shut her eyes and let out a mental prayer of thanks to her mother, without whose constant nagging about cutting her fingernails Charity would have never let them grow so long.

With her thumb, she found one of the deep carvings, a name. Sucking in her breath for courage, she slipped her nail into the wood at the front of the name and gouged it out.

For a moment, she thought nothing had happened (other than pain from the wood splinters that pierced the tender skin underneath her nail). Kadar continued to chatter on about something or other, but for Charity everything had gone silent as she stood breathless, waiting. Then it happened: a sudden hissing sound like that from a slab of butter being dropped onto a warm frying pan. The Shadow Men became alert, confused. They stared at one of their members, a brown leathery one, who was smoking. It did not appear to feel any pain; only surprise marked its unnatural face. Slowly, it began to drift apart as the very bonds that bound its molecules together dissolved. Seconds later, nothing was left of it other than the scent of ozone in the air.

The Shadow Men stared at the spot where it had sat, for the moment too stunned to do more.

"Okay, now, who did that?" Kadar demanded. He was very annoyed. Not only was he the only one interested in holding a trial, his trial kept getting interrupted. Taking advantage of the distraction, Charity gouged out another name. As the second Shadow Man drifted apart like mist, its brothers were becoming seriously concerned. They stood in the jury box, eyeing one another suspiciously. Low hissing filled the room as the Shadow Men urgently scanned the room. There was anger in the sound, and fear.

"It isn't us," said one with a voice that had lingering vibrations like church bells.

"Someone has the runestave," added another.

"Impossible," Kadar snapped. His golden eyes were uneasy as he looked around the room. With a flick of her finger, Charity removed another name. As the third Shadow Man disappeared, the others started flitting around the courtroom every which way, panicked and uncertain. It was hard for Charity to hold back the grim smile that guided her lips. Let the Fear Masters have a taste of what they dealt out for once. It was justice.

"Only we know where it is hidden and how to retrieve it," said a tiny grey Shadow Man harshly. Suspicious eyes turned on Julian, but he lifted his empty hands innocently.

"Not him. Her." The second voice was cold. With it, Charity felt an icy gust of wind that blew back her hair. Her finger paused over the fourth name she was about to cut out. The alligator Shadow Man was the sole one left standing before the jury box. Its yellow eyes were fixed on her with hatred.

"Why don't you take your hands out of your pockets, dear?" it asked in a sweet way. Charity felt chills break out over her body like a crawling army of ants.

"No," she said. Her lips were dry. She barely managed to choke out the word.

It happened so fast that Charity had no time to react. Three icicles formed in the air before the Shadow Man, and with a quick wave of its arm, they shot forward towards Charity with the speed of bullets. Charity's mouth dropped open and she gasped only after they paused in midair inches before her heart. Julian had his arm extended towards her. His fingers were shaking slightly as he fought to hold back the icicles. After a pause, he won. The icicles dropped to the ground and shattered like glass. Within seconds, Julie was beside her, clutching her arm and breathing with frightened little gasps. Her eyes were fixed on the fragments of ice on the ground.

"Finish it. I can hold them off," Julian said. His lips were tight and whitened with strain. As he spoke, a bubble with a pearly shimmer sprung up around Charity and Julie, protecting them. Charity jerked her head in acknowledgement and pulled the runestave out of her pocket. As she took it out into the air, it widened and lengthened until it was full size again. Strapped around it, conveniently put there by Julian, was a knife.

"No," said Kadar. His face was almost white as he stepped forward. It was the first time Charity had seen him so discomposed. He was physically shaking with fury. Julian turned to look at him, his face hard and determined. The last bit of control Kadar was holding onto broke.

"Get him!" he shrieked. "Get him! Don't let him take another breath unless it's his last."

The Shadow Men and Charity's Shadow Friends were stepping forward, each face a cold mask of hatred. Charity took the knife, and with an urgency she had never known before, she started carving off more names. Outside the bubble, the room was filled with ice and smoke. She could hardly see the movements of the Shadow Men through the pollution other than seeing dark, darting figures and hearing the angry sounds of the fight. Charity feared for Julian alone in the smoke, but he must have learned a few tricks that the others were not aware of, for the battle continued as Charity carved. He was holding his own. Julie's face was pale but also somewhat awed as her eyes followed the movements outside the bubble.

The first time Charity carved off the name of one of her friends it stunned her. Instead of dissolving like the true Shadow Men, Kevin physically staggered and fell forward against the bubble. It depressed inward with his weight. Charity's head snapped up to meet his wide, frightened eyes. His mouth was hanging open as he sucked in air with jagged breaths. He was glowing with a pale golden light that emanated outwards from him, growing brighter with each passing second. And suddenly…he was gone. Charity stared at the spot where he had been, shaking. What if Kadar had lied to her? What if she had not saved Kevin but killed him?

"Keep going," Julie whispered, poking her. Biting her lip, Charity continued her mission.

The cold smoke around the bubble started to clear as the names and their bearers disappeared. Soon, Charity was able to see Julian again. He had enclosed himself in a similar bubble. His arms were raised before him and he was literally dripping with sweat as his face was tight with concentration. The few remaining Shadow Men as well as Halena and David were gathered around the bubble, chanting together softly as they tried to use their power to force their way through the barrier he had created.

Charity carved with single-minded determination. In her hurry, she slit the soft flesh of her thumb and left a trail of blood on parts of the runestave. One of the names had a clear protective shell around it. Charity understood that it was Julian's, forcing her to save him for last. She continued on, but her mind couldn't help staying behind with the name, thinking about the time when she finally would carve it off…and how she would feel when she did.

Julie shrieked suddenly. Charity looked up to see David outside their bubble. He was pounding on the sides of it, pushing it forward, but he could not break through. His face was twisted with hatred. His eyes were no longer human, but those of an animal. Behind him, Halena started to glow and then was gone. Charity made another cut, and this time it was David who glowed. She reached forward to the side of the bubble and touched the portion against where one of his hands lay. She felt the warm glow enveloping him through the thin wall. The last thing she saw before he disappeared was his snarling face glaring at her. When it was over, she dropped the runestave to the ground and lowered to rest on the balls of her feet. She put her head in her hands. She was shaking. She couldn't do it anymore.

"Julian, you don't have to do this," said Kadar. Charity looked up to see him standing outside Julian's bubble. His arms were folded as he looked inside. He was the only one among the five Shadow Men left who was not fighting.

"You've made your point," he continued. "You're badass, and you're not playing around. We get it."

"Glad you finally got there," Julian said, his mouth turning up into a smile even through the obvious strain on his face. He was fighting on: so would she. Taking a deep breath, Charity reached for the runestave and began cutting again. She kept her eyes lowered as she continued to slice. Her arm was shaking with tiredness, but she forced herself to keep doing it. When she looked up again, only three of them besides Kadar were left. She saw with satisfaction that the alligator one had disappeared.

Kadar's eyes were fixed on Julian imploringly. He switched to a soothing voice as he said, "We can still reverse this. We welcome you back into our circle. Just let down the barrier, let me get the runestave back and deal with _her_, and everything can go back to the way it was. You can be one of us again."

"Except here's the thing. I don't want to be like you. I'd rather die."

"That's exactly what's going to happen," Kadar said sharply. "You'll die. You'll be mortal, you'll live a thankless life, and you'll die after the natural progression of time…if you don't kill yourself first. Trust me, your life was no picnic. You won't even be able to be with your new friends. By their time, you'll already have been dead for a thousand years."

"Well, I've always liked a challenge."

The false calm on Kadar's features was cracking. As the last Shadow Man beside him dissolved into vapor, his fists clenched as he demanded, "Do you know who you were before we took you? A nothing. A nobody. You were a slave in a cold land, and only had slightly more comfort than the other nobodies because your master's brother Leif thought you were a pretty child. After we turned you, you went after them and painted their rooms with their blood for revenge. You hated them, and you didn't even know why. Would you like me to tell you what they did to you? Is that what you want to go back to?"

"I'll take my chances," Julian said with a smile. He looked over at Charity and raised an eyebrow, as if to ask,_ Why aren't you still carving_?

"Charity," Kadar said turning to her in one last plea of desperation. "You can't do this. What have I ever done but give you everything you ever wanted? You can still have it. Tell me, what do you desire? Name it, and it's yours."

Charity looked him squarely in his eyes. "I want to go home. And you going to hell would be nice."

The last name was cut from the runestave under her knife. The blade sliced again into her thumb, and droplets of her blood fell onto the smooth wood where Kadar's name had been. Charity watched as Kadar's body started to dissolve like the others had. His human form disappeared and for a moment she saw again the monster she had first witnessed in the ballroom. His eyes were the last part of him to disappear. They lingered in the air several seconds after the rest of him had drifted apart, watching her with cool intentness. And then slowly, even they dissolved. He was gone.

Charity stared at the spot where he had been, breathing heavily. It took her several moments to realize that Julian was standing beside her with his hand on her arm. The protective bubbles were gone. She dropped the runestave and listened to it clatter harmlessly against the ground. She allowed herself to take a deep, slow breath. It was over.

"You did good, kid," Julian said softly.

"You could have warned me. That you had put the runestave in my pocket."

"When?"

It was a good point. There had been no time. There had been nothing to do but react.

"Can we go home now?" Julie asked in a small voice.

Charity's eyes filled with tears. She bent her head to cover her face with her hands. She wept. Julian, rightly, did not make a move to comfort her. He waited until she had wiped her eyes, lifted her head, and smiled at him before speaking.

"Absolutely. The exit is that way."

Charity turned and saw the dark passage through which she had first entered the Shadow World. An intense longing came over her. Home. Beyond that passage was her world, her friends, her family. She was really going home.

"There's just one thing you have to do first," said Julian.

Charity turned back to him slowly. It was the moment she had been dreading. She shook her head. "I can't," she said.

"You have to. The sooner the better." Julian's face was still white, but with a different kind of strain. She didn't know if his words were meant for her or himself.

Charity bit her lower lip and looked again towards the passage. "Come back with me," she said.

"You know I can't do that."

"I don't mean forever. Just for now. I can't send you away in…this place."

Julian looked around at the empty jury box and two chairs entangled with rope. An understanding smile came upon his lips. "I suppose that's fair." He reached out his hand, which Charity gladly took. She squeezed it and looked up into his face, trying her best to make it seem as if she didn't think she was handing him a death sentence, tossing him back into a life of potential misery. As if everything was okay. As if it wouldn't break a tiny bit of her soul to send him away from her.

"Finally," Julie breathed. Color was back in her cheeks, and she tossed her red hair over her shoulder impatiently. She looked like her old self again. The only difference was that when she looked at Charity now it was with a friendly smile rather than undisguised hostility. Charity smiled back.

"Let's go." She turned purposefully towards the dark passageway. As she stepped inside and started navigating the dark corridor, she did not look back. She had no desire to see it again. Julie trotted along beside her and then slightly in front of her, as eager as her to return to familiar territory. Julian's hand gripped hers tightly. She had no way of gauging how he was feeling, if he had any regrets about leaving the Shadow World behind. If he was at all nervous about what kind of world he might return to.

Light burst from ahead. Julie gladly ran into it. Charity could hear the joyful sounds of reunion of her and her other friends. Among the voices she heard was David's happy laugh. A lump rose in her throat. Her arms felt restless with longing to hold him. She started to dart forward, but Julian hung back reluctantly.

Charity turned to him with a grin. "Come on, one last push and it will be over." Tugging him forward, Charity burst through the opening into the magic shop where their journey had started. Before her eyes had time to adjust to the new light, she heard the cries of pleasure and felt multiple pairs of arms encircle her.

The reunion was joyful to say the least. Everyone was crying. Charity hugged each of her friends in turn, her heart swelling with love. She was so happy to see them, to feel them, to hold them…_alive_. It was something that at the worst of times in the Shadow World she hadn't dared to hope for. Charity started to laugh hysterically as she threw her arms around Kaori, who was looking pitiful in a dirt-stained dress but so _alive_.

Last, she turned to David. He was smiling at her as broadly as the others, but there was something in his eyes that showed he was holding back. "Charity," he started, "I have to apologize for-"

He was cut off when Charity hugged him so fiercely that his breath was knocked out of him. "You have to apologize for nothing! It wasn't you. Believe me, I can tell the difference. I like my Davy as he is. 100, no substitutes."

The longer Charity hugged him, she started to feel a little shy, something that had certainly never happened before. Maybe the cruelty of the Shadow David hadn't been real, but according to Julie the way he claimed to feel about her was true. She pulled back and looked up at him uncertainly, but her fears were quickly put to rest. It was her David, smiling as brightly as the sunshine. Her best friend…for now at least. She could wait and deal with the rest if it came to that. When it came to that. It wasn't as frightening a concept as she might have believed earlier.

"I have to call my mom," Halena said, looking around with a wide smile. She was practically shivering with happiness. Charity thought of her own parents, probably waiting in agony for news of her. She couldn't wait to go home and let them know she was okay. She looked around at her friends, beaming, but her smile dimmed when she saw Julian standing behind her.

Julian was leaning against the wall, his arms folded, silent and watchful. He had taken no part in the reunion. The others had ignored him as completely as he ignored them. He looked tense as his eyes were fixed on her, waiting. David followed Charity's gaze to him.

"We'll all go home," David said, "but I think there's something Charity needs to take care of first."

When Charity turned to him in alarm, he smiled and squeezed her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll all be outside." Silently, he led the way to the door, which opened easily under his fingers. Kevin and Ryan looked back curiously, but neither said a word as the door shut behind them.

Charity was strangely reluctant to look at Julian. She felt the silence in the shop as a physical presence that breathed against her ears. She looked down at the runestave lying on the floor of the shop, the one final name glittering in the light. The last of all the Shadow Men. Surely it was the right thing to do to rid the world of them once and for all, but the more seconds that ticked by, the more reluctant Charity felt. Julian didn't say a word to help her along.

Finally Charity looked at him with a little shudder. "Are you sure you're okay with this? When I carve off your name, you'll be mortal again."

Julian shrugged. "I did it before. I can do it again. Don't feel guilty about having to save me. You already did. You woke me." His lips twisted into an ironic smile. "In more ways than one."

Charity was surprised to find that she was crying. Somehow, and later she wasn't quite sure how, she was in his arms. She sobbed like a baby, soaking the bare skin of his chest. Julian held her silently, one hand in her hair. Still blubbering, Charity looked up. She pressed her lips against his a little desperately, not out of passion so much as comfort for them both. When it was over, Charity leaned against his chest, tears dried up. For a long time, they just held each other.

Finally, Julian started speaking, his voice strained. "After it happens, I need you to throw the runestave back into the passage. The shadows should close around it, where no one will ever be able to find it again. Then I want you to leave and never look back. Leave with your friends, go home to comfort your mother, and never think of it…or me… again."

Charity snorted. "You think it will be that simple?"

"No, but I wish it could be for your sake. I wouldn't be able to forget you if I spent my life trying."

Charity did her best to smile. "Maybe I'll try to find you in the history books."

"Don't bother. I plan on living a very quiet, normal life from now on. I think we both deserve that."

They were silent again. Charity stepped away from him and bent to pick up the runestave. Now that the moment had come, she felt much calmer than she had anticipated. She tried to look at it as if she was giving him peace, rest. It was what he wanted. It was what was best for everyone involved.

The hard diamond covering over his name came off easily under Charity's fingernails. She gripped the knife with her right hand and positioned it below Julian's name with shaking fingers. Instead of cutting, she looked back at him.

"Do it now," he said, his voice shaking. Charity guessed that it was taking all of his control to stand where he was and watch, knowing that it was for the best but longing for things to be different. Meeting her eyes, Julian smiled. The result was quite breathtaking. Charity thought about how truly beautiful he was, and wondered how much of it would stay when he became human again. She knew instinctively that human or otherwise, Julian would always be stunning. He was quite special in himself.

"I'm going to do it," Charity said numbly. She shot him an apologetic look, but he nodded, urging her on. Charity shut her eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Without giving herself another second to think about it, to hesitate, she slipped the blade of the knife into the wood and sliced off the last name.

Immediately she opened her eyes with a cry, fearing that he would already be gone from her, but he was just where he was before. Slowly, golden light started to glow around him, within him and outside of him. Charity bit her lip to hold herself back from bounding into the light after him. Something about Julian's expression was positively angelic as he looked down at himself. There was wonder in his eyes and joy. When he met her eyes again, it was with true gratitude. The blue of his eyes was the color of a supernova, the truest and most beautiful color ever created.

"Thank you," he said.

"Take care," Charity said. She marveled at how casual she sounded. Julian caught it too. He laughed.

"Tell Jenny…I'll see her in her dreams."

Charity nodded jerkily. She smiled at him as he began to fade. "Goodbye," she whispered. The light grew brighter until it completely covered him. She could only see the barest outline of his body in it. And then, abruptly, the light and Julian were gone.

Charity stared at the spot where he had been, completely still. She did not cry. There was no reason to. She had felt Julian's joy at being released, at finally being able to go home. If anything, she should celebrate and light a candle for him. He was free.

Charity looked down at the runestave. It was covered with uneven patches where she had cut, but it was free of names. She saw where her blood had stained over where Kadar's name had been. Thinking about the bearer of that name filled Charity with a surge of anger. Furiously, she started slashing at the spot with her knife, filling it with cuts. She wanted to erase him completely, and throw away any sign that he had ever been there. Charity continually slicing at the wood over the spot where the source of Kadar's life had been, hacking at the spot. Finally, she heaved both the runestave and the knife back into the dark passage behind the shelf. There was a flash and the gaping hole closed, leaving only the wall.

It was really over, then. Charity went over to the wall and pushed the shelf back into place. It slid easily. She reached her arm through the holes of the shelf to touch the wall, the once passage to the Shadow World. It was strange, but even though she knew Julian was gone, she felt that he could still see her.

"Goodbye," she said again, firmly. Spirits lifting with the excitement of her next adventure, Charity turned and raced out the door to join her friends on the street. Maybe whatever it was it wouldn't be as exciting as what she had just survived, but she had her whole life ahead of her. She wasn't planning on wasting a moment.

Stepping out into the sunshine, Charity was once again enfolded in David's arms. All around her, Ryan, Kaori, Kevin, Julie, and Halena were laughing and chatting excitedly. Charity smiled, knowing that she had finally come home.


	25. And Then

**And Then…**

Somewhere in the darkness, he opened his eyes.

He was there. He existed. He was alive.

It shouldn't have been possible, but it was.

He shifted in the darkness, his form becoming more solid with each passing second. Flexing familiar muscles, feeling the familiar texture of his rough skin, he laughed. He spun in a circle. He was alive.

Something glittered at his feet. The runestave. Bending slightly, he picked it up. The surface of the wood was mostly smooth, cut with the decisive edge of a sharp blade. Except for one small part. Smeared with the dark stain of the girl's blood, her delicious human blood, was a series of seemingly random cuts. Nestled among the angry cuts was a name. His name.

The bitch had thought she had gotten rid of him. His dry lips stretched into a smile. Wasn't she in for a surprise.

He looked around. All that remained of his beautiful Shadow World was this dark pit. All the wonders that had been had vanished along with the last Shadow Man. Didn't matter: he could remake it. He would remake it all, better, more glorious than before. He brushed the tips of his fingers along the smooth edges of the runestave, where once the names of his elders had rested. He would bring them back. This time he would be the father, the life-giver. This time he would be in charge. They would all bow to him and his plans. It was time to bring a little fun back into the Shadow World. Once he had regained his strength.

His mind wandered to the girl with startlingly green eyes and shiny dark hair. The girl who had looked at him with such defiance, who had the kind of strength few humans did. At one time she had amused him; he had wished to keep her. Now all his thoughts toward her were filled with poison. She would suffer for what she had done to him, for how she had humiliated him. He would make sure of that.

Once he had regained his strength, once he had remade the shattered ranks of the Shadow Men, he would focus all his energy on her. Every breath she took, every smile, every moment he would always be with her. Watching. Waiting in the shadows. He would haunt her until her deathbed. If she was fortunate to have children of her own, he would complete the circle and bring them to the Shadow World for a fresh Game of their own. Only this time he wouldn't be nearly so tolerant.

_Better be on guard, chicklet. I'll be seeing you soon._

_--_

And that's all, folks! The end. I just moved to a new state, and during the weeks of no internet or cable (seious distractions for me) I was finally able to finish. Many apologies for the wait. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing. Comments always welcome. Thanks much and peace!

(And no, there will be no sequel. I just like ending with ambiguity. But don't worry about Charity - she's tough. I don't doubt she'll be able to handle anything Kadar throws at her). :)


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